Pérola Negra is the debut studio album by Brazilian musician Luiz Melodia, released in 1973 by Philips Records.
Contents
Background
Produced by Péricles Albuquerque, the recording of Luiz Melodia's debut album followed the success of Gal Costa's and Maria Bethânia's 1971 and 1972 recordings of the songs "Pérola Negra" and "Estácio, Holy Estácio", respectively, both composed by Melodia. The album features songs written by Melodia, with guest appearances including Hyldon, Arthur Verocai and Robertinho Silva.
The album blends samba, soul, rock, and urban lyricism.
Reception
Released in 1973, the album was not a commercial success. In 2024, the album was re-released in a remastered vinyl edition.
Critical
Roberto de Moura, writing for the newspaper Tribuna da Imprensa, gave the album a negative review, stating, "Melodia’s debut LP didn’t turn out as expected, though it wasn’t necessarily a disappointment."
Legacy
In 2007, Rolling Stone Brasil magazine, after compiling a list of the 100 greatest Brazilian albums, ranked the album at 32nd. In 2020, journalist and writer Luiz Felipe Carneiro reviewed the album, stating that it is "well-rounded and flows smoothly from start to finish. It’s an album that’s both traditional and modern at the same time."
In a poll conducted in May 2022, the album ranked 21st a list of the 500 best Brazilian albums, according to a survey of more than 160 music experts conducted by the Discoteca Básica podcast.The 1976 album, Maravilhas Contemporâneas, by Melodia, is also mentioned on the list at number 261.
In 2023, music critic and journalist Mauro Ferreira, in his blog on G1, praised the album and stated, "Luiz Melodia would go on to create other contemporary masterpieces in his discography until he retired from the music scene at age 66 in 2017. But none had the brilliance of Pérola Negra, one of the best debut albums by an artist of all time, both in Brazil and abroad."
Personnel
The following musicians worked on the album:
Luiz Melodia - Vocals
Perinho Albuquerque - Acoustic guitar; electric guitar
Hyldon - Electric guitar
Renato Piau - Electric guitar
Rubão Sabino - Bass
Fernando Leporace - Bass
Robertinho Silva - Percussion
Luis Paraguai - Percussion
Don Lula Nascimento - Drums; percussion
Antonio Perna Fróes - Piano
Hugo Bellard - Piano
Rildo Hora - Harmonica
Altamiro Carrilho - Flute
Márcio Montarroyos - Trumpet
Dominguinhos - Accordion
Daminhão Experiença - Vocals (on "Forró de Janeiro")
Arthur Verocai - Arrangements