Beatles, Bach & Bacharach Go Bossa

You probably never realised that The Beatles, Bach and Bacharach wrote some marvellous Bossa Novas! Mind you, they didn't sound quite like Bossas when first performed, although some of them very nearly did. But all the titles we chose for this album were, potentially at least, great Bossa Novas.

Alan Moorhouse, who created these very special arrangements, and directed the hand-picked musicians who played them, described this set as "Happy Bossa". After all, he said, the Brazilians who started it all were happy, carefree people, and when they played their original Bossa rhythms, all they were thinking of was a good time!

Alan and I chose three Bach, Four Beatles and five Bacharach compositions. Two of the Bach pieces must be very well known to you already. Air On A G-String accompanied a very famous tobacco advert on T.V. Minuet in G has already had a taste of honey as a smash hit called "Lover's Concerto" by The Toys. Musette in D may be new to you at first hearing, but you'll be surprised how catchy it becomes.

The Four Beatles numbers (including George Harrison's Something) are already well known to you, but they sound really fresh and inviting in their smart new Brazilian style.

As for Bacharach, a great number of his compositions could actually have been written just for this album. We've chosen Trains & Boats & Planes, Do You Know The Way To San Jose, This Guy's In Love, I'll Never Fall In Love Again and I Say A Little Prayer.

Alan has presented these famous songs in a number of refreshing new ways-mixing flute, flugelhorn and a girl's voice to produce a beautifully mellow, haunting sound; tenor sax improvising gently around the main theme; electric harpsichord lending a new and unusual timbre rarely heard in this context; and of course a full, driving rhythm section that keeps your feet tapping.

So, if your party ever looks like sagging in the middle, switch on to The Beatles, Bach & Bacharach in Bossa beat-and give the party a swinging new lease of life!

Bill Wellings

Side One

Fool On The Hill (Lennon/McCartney)
Something (Harrison)
Air On A G-String (Bach arr. Moorhouse)
Trains and Boats and Planes (Bacharach/David)
Yesterday (Lennon McCartney)
Minuet In G (Bach arr. Moorhouse)

Side Two

Do You Know The Way To San Jose (Bacharach/David)
With A Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney)
This Guy's In Love (Bacharach/David)
I Say A Little Prayer (Bacharach/David)
I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Bacharach/David)
Musette In D (Bach arr. Moorhouse)

Photography Brian Tyler - Design Clare Osborn

MFP 5206 - 1971