Brazilian television and movie actor Toni Tornado stepped into the music profession for two short years, which yielded two fantastic albums steeped in combinations of American funk and soul with complex Brazilian rhythms and melody. B.R.3 was the first and most realized of these two outings. Originally released in 1971 and reissued in 2002 as part of EMI/Odeon's quality series celebrating their 100th birthday in the business of recording, B.R.3 opens with a sultry groove, layered horns, and chorus of vocalists -- an inspired arrangement which is matched in inventiveness throughout the entirety of the album. Tornado's voice is alternately gruff, in a manner similar to James Brown, or sweet, à la Milton Nascimento, with the latter performances being the most stunning. The frequent polyphonic play between the horn splices and the legato strings on tracks like "Não Lhe Quero Mais" and the stunning female backing vocals, most notably the title track, judiciously poured over the tight and heavy rhythm section, the lilting current of piano, and plucky guitars are clever and incredibly complex melodically, truly making this a standout in the soul and funk genre. Toni Tornado should be recognized alongside the more celebrated Brazilian funk/soul artists Tim Maia and Jorge Ben on this effort alone.
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