BrazilOnGuitar says: After his japanese studio recording in April 1971, this record was the third and last recording for MPS in cooperation with the Japanese Canyon label in October 1971. BP found a new quartet with Ernesto Ribeiro-Goncalves, Alfredo Bessa and the drummer Joaquim Paes Henriques, the last one would accompany him in studio and on stage until 1974. However, after this recording the quartet split up. The following recordings three weeks later were recorded without them. In 1990 Baden, Ernesto and Alfredo would work again together on the re-recording of the "Afro Sambas".

BP's Images on Guitar is conceptionally one of the best records of the seventies. Hardly any other record sounds as thematically closed as Images on Guitar or Canto on Guitar. While the last Quartet recordings had their focus on Afro-Brazilian music he was now playing his own compositions. Elaborate themes used elements from Jazz, Baroque, Blues and Funk. These combinations would remain unrepeated. Many of these themes were only recorded once.

Ate Eu can be seen as an continuation of the three last Quartet recordings of December, 1970. However Petite Valse seems to be the true introduction to this record. This title would be the first in many of his concerts. While Baden Powell (1971) was an hommage to Garoto and Pixinguinha this record can be seen as an hommage to Janine de Waleyne. The complete title can only be found on the MPS cover: Images on Guitar / Baden + Janine.

In four duets BP gives his favourite singer the necessary space for her impressive voice. The dynamics of these compositions increase and culminate in Blues a volonte. It is a powerful and cheerful improvisation and the best example of the inspirational work of everyone involved in the recording. Conversa Comigo Mesmo (dialogue with myself) seems like a well-done extension of his 1966 recording Invencao Em 7 ½. E de Lei, in an instrumental and accurate arrangement, is followed by the inspiring and evocative Canto.

Canto: the guitar takes up the theme of the vocals. In an short rhythmic part this seems reversed. The guitar gives the impulse. The last note of the vocal remains unaccompanied and is followed by an altered D-minor chord (Dm9/#11). This chord shows great tension. The powerful quint on the bass strings is eased by guide tones as chord extensions (Bb and E) on the higher strings Finally the motiv of descending perfect fifths is repeated, played only by the guitar. The piece ends with a straight quint sound (D,A,d). This seems like a confirmation or easing. Maybe Canto tries to show the importance of the voice as the original instrument, the instrumental player trying to imitate the voice.

The cover art of the German release is one of the most beautiful of BP's covers. The Japanese CD release lacks a reprint of the gatefold cover. The record was released as E De Lei in Brazil in 1972, with a release on CD in 2003. The Japanese CD release is from 1998 (POCJ 2556), in 1997 the record (except for one track) was released on the CD: Jazz Meets Brasil (MPS 533 133-2). A re-edition with the original cover art remains to be released.

The MPS first pressing (15.328) is seldom found. The paper weight of the gatefold cover varies with each year and pressing. The liner notes (in English and German) were written by J.E. Berendt and contained also studio and rare concert photos.

New addition on 2 October 2016:
In June 2016 MPS published the album on CD as a 192KHz remaster, as before on the 2008 sampler "Baden Powell on Guitar". This time though as a digi-sleeve with a 14 page booklet, liner notes in German and English and a reproduction of the original master tape as a CD cover. Together an appealing collector's item and a first as an individual German CD release. Many thanks to MPS Records. We thank Robert G. (Germany) for his translation.


Tour Dates Germany, October - December '71:
21th Oct, Wiesbaden, ZDF-Drehscheibe
22th, Baarn, TV-Holland
23th, Brüssel, Centre Culturel
25-26th, MPS Studio, Villingen
27th Villingen, Theater am Ring
28-30th, Wien, Television
31th Genf, Victoria Hall

1st Nov., Lausanne, Municipal
2th, Zürich, Volkshaus
3rd, Basel, Stadtkasino
4th, Würzburg, Huttensäle
6th, Herford, Stadttheater
9th, Hamburg, Musikhalle
10th Hamburg, NDR-Produktion
11th, Bremen, Glocke
12th Kiel, Kieler Schloß
13th Berlin, Berliner Kongreßhalle
14th Berlin, RIAS-Produktion
15th Kamen, Konzertaula
16th Mühlheim / Ruhr, Stadthalle
18th Düsseldorf, Rheinhalle
20th Mannheim, Rosengarten
21th Hannover, Theater am Aegi
22th Bielefeld, Oetkerhalle
23th Marburg, Auditorium Maximum
24th Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle
25th Kaiserlauten, Fruchthalle
26th Freiburg, Paulussaal
28th Heidelberg, Stadthalle
29th Saarbrücken, Kongreßhalle
30th Stuttgart, Liederhalle
1st Dec., München, Deutsches Museum