Dig Deep: Toni Tornado – B.R. 3 – Odeon (1971)

Toni Tornado – Me Libertei
Toni Tornado – O Reporte Informou
Toni Tornado – Uma Vida

There are funky records and then there are records that are so funky, “funky” just doesn’t even seem to capture just how incredibly funky the record truly is. Toni Tornado’s B.R.3 is one of those records. A record so insanely funky that I hesitate to even post on it for fear someone will seriously injure themselves listening to these tracks.

I first heard “Me Libertei” from this record as an unlisted track on a myspace page. The DJ who ran the page was being purposely mysterious in not supplying the track info, but being the stubborn kinda fella that I am, I spent the next two or three months trying to figure out what the track was and who performed it. I had a feeling it might be Toni Tornado, just based on my knowledge of Brazilian soul singers. The style of the vocals was a bit too rough to be Tim Maia and too deep to be anyone other than Tornado or maybe Gerson King Combo. Eventually, as is often the case since he has a copy of every record in creation, Matthew Africa was able to identify that it was indeed Toni Tornado and that it came from this record, released originally in 1971.

As far as I know B.R.3 was Tornado’s debut. I believe that prior to this record he had worked primarily as an actor, which I think is probably what he’s more famous for in Brazil. Tornado strikes me as sorta like a Brazilian Joe Tex (though his use of grunts is all JB), a larger than life character who straddles the border between sincerely gritty and slightly campy over the top performance. This record, along with the follow up from 1973 that includes “Podes Crer, Amizade,” are the exemplars by which all Brazilian funk records should be judged. I’d actually stack this record up against most every American funk record (emphasis on record, not 45s) from this period of time… it is seriously just that good.

“Me Libertei” was the track that hooked me and unsuprisingly it’s the best track on the album. A heavy mix of Brazilian funk, so clearly influenced by sounds from the US but sounding completely unique and novel. The way all the elements come together in that first minute before Tornado’s vocals come in, with those monster drums, that high pitched guitar, punchy organ notes, earthquaking bass lines and the layered horns, is one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve ever had, it seems impossible that a song could be this good for the full run of it’s 3 and 1/2 minutes, but it is. Arguably the deepest and funkiest song I’ve ever heard…EVER.

“O Reporte Informou” has almost a proto-rap feeling to it, in the way Tornado just spits out the lyrics at the beginning. It’s almost as if it was ’81 instead of ’71 and Tornado has become a Brazilian Melle Mel. “Uma Vida” has this epic quality at the start before it gets just plain old funky about mid-way in. It’s just sooo so good, it’s silly. Really though, aside from “Me Libertei,” which is a number #1 stunner, I could have chosen any of the other 11 tracks and had just as many superlatives to throw around. There are few records that I’ve heard that can match this one for sheer funkocity. B.R.3 is 32+ minutes of pure Brazilian Soul Power and I am very thankful to be able to bring you a slice.

Cheers,

Michael