Judith Ravitz Bolerio

Be With Records presents a reissue of Judith Ravitz 's Bolerio, originally issued in 1983. Galvanized by a passion for soul, jazz, funk, folk, and Brazilian samba, Bolerio brilliantly reimagines the music of the Brazilian legend Jorge Ben. Increasingly sought-after, housing as it does her seminal take on "Dia de Indio" - often re-edited and sampled, bootlegged but never bettered - Bolerio is a uniquely thrilling LP in it's own right. In 1983, Ravitz discovered that Ben was touring Israel with his crack backing band A Banda Do Zé Pretinho. After joining her in the studio, the ensemble reinvented a selection of Ben's killer tracks that the band regularly performed. On Bolerio "come to Rio", Ravitz handed them equal billing as they aided a re-contextualization of Ben's music for an audience that was barely aware of him. These versions are by no means straight re-treads; far from it. The highlights are many and memorable; "Dia de Indio" is a strutting, electronic samba-funk with stabbing bass and fluid arrangements, sounding so current and fresh that it's hard to believe it's now 35 years old. It's vibrant ambience has been likened to the wiry dubbiness of King Sunny Ade 's Synchro System ; it's easy to see why. Indeed, the electro elements add a futuristic feel that the original could never comfortably possess. The album begins with a throbbing take on "Boiadeiro"; Ravitz flows wonderfully whilst the band introduce a heaviness and complexity absent from the original, as wild bass blends with an intensity to the guitar playing that's quite stunning. Ravitz's cover of "Taj Mahal" incorporates the lush Brazilian boogie of the time whilst "Santa Clara" is morphed into a deep electronic groove. Lent an airiness by this arrangement, the track benefits from Ravitz's exquisite range and floats by on a bed of warm keys to conjure a gorgeous melodic melancholy throughout. The timeless "Que Pena" gets an injection of warm Israeli funk that eschews the downbeat vibe of the original. The beautifully mournful piano and plaintive horns that grace "Que Maravilha", coupled with Ravitz's vocal phrasing of spine-tingling clarity, contribute a depth of feeling and longing that hit hard. The iconic artwork has been beautifully restored throughout, and the music has been remastered from the original tape transfers by Simon Francis. Edition of 500, 180 gram vinyl, includes printed inners. Carefully reproduced original art. Remastered from original tape transfers.