Arthur Maia – Bass

The Pino Palladino of Brazilian Pop, Arthur Maia played with everyone of any note in Brazilian music but was a regular feature in the bands of Gilberto Gil, the composer of this track. The chart is very simple although there are some moments that evidence that there is more going on than root notes and fifths. The track is from the MTV Acoustico album/DVD (2001) (an ‘unplugged’ gig from the days when MTV did that). Maia plays an acoustic bass guitar (sounds like a piezo to me) but the vibe is acoustic even if the details aren’t.

I couldn’t find a video of this track on its own but it features on this video, starting at 3:52. The whole gig is on there and it is worth a watch if you like GG’s music (which I do, having been turned on to 100s of artists by my good friend Gione Antony. a singer/guitarist and generally brilliant human being from Brazil but now living in Ipswich, Suffolk). I have actually played this tune (and others from this album) with Gione many times.