Arrigo Barnabé -

Arrigo Barnabé is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist and composer who formed Banda Sabor de Veneno for the 1980 self-pressed album Clara Crocodilo. He went solo with Janete, a 1982 EP followed by the 1984–86 Barclay albums Tubarões Voadores and Cidade Oculta.

Background

Arrigo Barnabé was born on September 14, 1951, in Londrina, a major city in northern Paraná, Brazil, known historically as the “Coffee Capital.” Barnabé began piano lessons at age nine and studied musical theory at the Filadélfia school of music (1962–1968). He later studied composition at the Escola de Música da UFRJ and linguistics at the University of São Paulo (USP). His early musical activities involved compositions for theater, film, and ballet productions.

Barnabé formed his first band, Tubarões Voadores (Flying Sharks), with fellow USP students Itamar Assumpção and Luiz Tatit. In 1976, he wrote “Clara Crocodilo” and formed Navalha with his brother Paulo Barnabé (drums), Itamar Assumpção (vocals, guitar), and Antonio Carlos Tonelli (electric bass). This group formed the initial core of his future band, Sabor de Veneno.

In 1979, he won the first edition of the Festival Universitário da TV Cultura with “Diversões Eletrônicas,” performed by Sabor de Veneno, initiating a period of frequent concerts. Later that year, he won first place and best arrangement at the MPB Festival organized by TV Tupi of São Paulo with “Sabor de Veneno.”

Clara Crocodilo

Arrigo Barnabé self-released his debut album, Clara Crocodilo, in December 1980 with Banda Sabor de Veneno.

Clara Crocodilo employs Arrigo Barnabé on lead vocals, piano, synthesizer, percussion, and narration. Prominent vocalists include Vânia Bastos, Suzana Salles, and Tetê Espíndola. The band features drummer/percussionist Paulo Barnabé, bassist Otávio Fialho, and keyboardists Bozo Barretti and Regina Porto. Guitarist Gilson Gibson plays electric and acoustic guitars. The album also incorporates a horn section. Barnabé composed the album’s eight tracks.

A1. “Acapulco Drive-In” (4:30)
A2. “Orgasmo total” [Total Orgasm] (4:37)
A3. “Diversões eletrônicas” [Electronic Diversions] (7:49)
A4. “Instante” [Instant] (3:30)

B1. “Sabor de veneno” [Taste of Poison] (2:31)
B2. “Infortúnio” [Misfortune] (4:50)
B3. “Office-boy” (6:59)
B4. “Clara Crocodilo” (7:21)

Recording sessions for Clara Crocodilo took place from July to September 1980 at Nosso Estúdio in São Paulo. Robinson Borba produced the album; his contemporary production credits include works for artists such as Zezé Motta and A Cor do Som around this period. Carlos Duttweller and Francisco Braga recorded the tracks; Marcus Vinicius also handled recording, mixing, and supervised the sessions, having notably engineered albums for artists like Walter Franco and Boca Livre in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Band Members

Arrigo Barnabé: Lead Vocals, Piano, Synthesizer, Percussion, Narrator
Paulo Barnabé: Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals, Voice
Otávio Fialho: Bass, Backing Vocals
Bozo Barretti: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Synthesizer, Backing Vocals
Regina Porto: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Vocals, Electronics, Narrator
Gilson Gibson: Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians

Itamar Assumpção: Arrangements (on “Infortúnio” and “Diversões Eletrônicas”)
Mario “Biafra” Aydar: Cello (on “Infortúnio”)
Rogério: Percussion
Horn Section:
- Baldo Versolatto: Alto Saxophone, Clarinet
- Mané Silveira: Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Voice
- Chico Guedes: Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
- Marcelo Galberti: Clarinet
- Felix Wagner: Clarinet, Contra-Alto Clarinet
- Ronei Stella: Trombone, Bass Trombone

Backing Vocalists

Vânia Bastos: lead/backing
Suzana Salles: lead/backing
Tetê Espíndola: lead/backing
Passoca
Eliana Estevão
Gilberto Mifune

Janete ‎(EP)

Arrigo Barnabé released the EP Janete in 1983 on Tatu Filmes Ltda. This EP serves as the original soundtrack for the movie Janete, a Brazilian drama by director Chico Botelho.

Arrigo Barnabé composed all tracks and performs vocals, likely alongside keyboards and synthesizer. Caetano Veloso provides vocals on the track “Janete.” The EP features members of the Tubarões Voadores band: vocalist Vânia Bastos, keyboardist Bozzo Barretti, guitarist Tonho Penhasco, bassist Otávio Fialho, drummer Duda Neves, and percussionist Paulo Barnabé.

A1. “Janete” (3:56)
A2. “Tempos Felizes” [Happy Times]
B1. “Visão” [Vision]
B2. “Prelúdio” [Prelude]

Tubarões Voadores

Arrigo Barnabé released their second album, Tubarões Voadores, in 1984 on Barclay.

Arrigo Barnabé performs vocals, synthesizer, keyboards, and piano, also handling music, arrangements, and lyrics for several tracks. The album features drummer Duda Neves, bassist Otávio Fialho, keyboardist Bozo Barretti, and guitarist Tonho Penhasco. Prominent vocalists include Vânia Bastos, and backing vocals are provided by Passoca, Gigante, Itamar Assumpção, and Lúcia Turnbull.

Luiz Gê contributes lyrics to “Tubarões Voadores,” Itamar Assumpção to “Crotalus Terríficus,” Paulinho da Viola to “Crotalus Terríficus” (lyrics, piano, backing vocals), Roberto Riberti to “Mística” and “Lenda,” Ricardo Porto to “Kid Supérfluo, O Consumidor Implacável,” and Carlos Rennó to “A Europa Curvou-Se Ante O Brasil” and “Mirante.” The album includes a horn section with various brass and woodwind performers.

A1. “Tubarões Voadores” [Flying Sharks] (2:30)
A2. “Crotalus Terríficus” (5:20)
A3. “Mística” [Mystic] (3:49)
A4. “Neide Manicure Pedicure” (5:30)
A5. “Canção Do Astronauta Perdido” [Song of the Lost Astronaut] (4:24)
B1. “Kid Supérfluo, O Consumidor Implacável” [Superfluous Kid, the Ruthless Consumer] (2:51)
B2. “Papai Não Gostou” [Daddy Didn’t Like It] (6:49)
B3. “Lenda” [Legend] (3:42)
B4. “A Europa Curvou-Se Ante O Brasil” [Europe Bowed Before Brazil] (2:40)
B5. “Mirante” [Lookout] (2:22)

Robinson Borba produced Tubarões Voadores. Carlos A. Duttweller, Reinaldo C. Souza, Roberto Marques, and Guilherme Canaes engineered the recording and mixing sessions at Estúdio Transamérica in São Paulo. Robinson Borba’s production credits from 1984 also include work for artists such as Zé Ramalho, while Carlos A. Duttweller engineered albums for various Brazilian artists, including Blitz and RPM, during this period.

Cidade Oculta (OST)

Arrigo Barnabé released their third album, Cidade Oculta, in 1986 on Barclay. This album serves as the original soundtrack for the film Cidade Oculta, directed by Chico Botelho.

Arrigo Barnabé performs vocals on “Ronda 2,” “Mente, Mente,” “Pô, Amar É Importante,” “Poema Em Linha Reta,” and the final “Cidade Oculta.” He also plays keyboards on “Ronda 2,” “Cidade Oculta” (instrumental), “Poema Em Linha Reta,” and “Flash Back,” and piano on the final “Cidade Oculta.” Other vocalists include Tetê Espíndola (“Ronda 2,” “Pô, Amar É Importante”), Vânia Bastos (“Video Game”), Ana Amélia (“Shirley Sombra”), Ney Matogrosso (“Mente, Mente”), and Chico Botelho (“Poema Em Linha Reta”).

Dino Vicente contributes keyboards and drum machine. Guitarists include Mário Augusto Aydar and André Fonseca. Bassists are Geraldo Vieira and Sidney Giovenazzi. Drummers and percussionists include Tico Delisa, Cidão Trindade, and Paulo Barnabé. João Cuca plays oboe, and Renato Lemos plays cello. Sossega Leão and Patife Band are also credited for various contributions.

A1. “Ronda 2” [Patrol 2] (3:02) Arrigo Barnabé, Carlos Rennó
A2. “Video Game” (2:04) Arrigo Barnabé
A3. “Shirley Sombra” [Shirley Shadow] (3:10) O. Khayyam, Arrigo Barnabé (Recreation by Augusto de Campos)
A4. “Mente, Mente” [Lie, Lie] (3:20) Robson Borba
A5. “Cidade Oculta (instrumental)” [Hidden City (instrumental)] (1:04) Arrigo Barnabé, Eduardo Gudin, Roberto Riberti

B1. “Pô, Amar É Importante” [Man, Loving Is Important] (4:40) Hermelino Neder
B2. “Pregador Maldito” [Damned Preacher] (2:07) Paulo Barnabé
B3. “Poema Em Linha Reta (Balada Do Ratão)” [Straight Line Poem (Ballad of the Big Rat)] (2:27) Arrigo Barnabé (based on Fernando Pessoa’s poem)
B4. “Flash Back” (1:22) Arrigo Barnabé
B5. “Cidade Oculta” [Hidden City] (2:38) Arrigo Barnabé, Eduardo Gudin, Roberto Riberti

Suspeito

Arrigo Barnabé released their fourth album, Suspeito, in 1987 on Continental.

Arrigo Barnabé performs vocals, keyboards, and drum programming on Suspeito and composed all nine tracks. The band features drummer Paulo Barnabé, bassist Otávio Fialho, guitarist Gilson Gibson, and keyboardist Bozzo Barretti. Other contributors include saxophonist Léo Gandelman and backing vocalist Vânia Bastos.

A1. “Suspeito” [Suspect] (3:57) Arrigo Barnabé
A2. “O Louco Do Cérebro” [The Brain Madman] (5:12) Arrigo Barnabé
A3. “Atelier” [Studio / Workshop] (4:47) Arrigo Barnabé
A4. “Nossa Casa” [Our Home] (3:49) Arrigo Barnabé
A5. “O Homem Urbano” [The Urban Man] (4:23) Arrigo Barnabé

B1. “Outros” [Others] (5:40) Arrigo Barnabé
B2. “Dizem Por Aí” [They Say Around] (7:21) Arrigo Barnabé
B3. “Nenhum” [None / No One] (1:37) Arrigo Barnabé
B4. “O Beijo” [The Kiss] (1:37) Arrigo Barnabé

Recording for Suspeito took place at Master studio in São Paulo. Arrigo Barnabé produced the album. Walter Lima engineered the recording and mixing; his contemporary engineering credits around 1987 include work for Brazilian artists such as RPM and Barão Vermelho.

Discography: