- Carlos Piper — É Ótimo
(1966) Continental PPL 12268 - Norberto Baldauf — Encontro Dançante
(1960) Odeon MOFB 3137 - Zé Bodega, Severino Araújo — Um Sax no Samba
(1961) Continental LPP 3183 - Jabob do Bandolim, Época de Ouro — Vibrações
(1967) RCA Victor BBL 1383 - Don Júnior — Sambas – Don Júnior e Seu Sax Maravilhoso
(1961) RGE XRLP 5131 - Conjunto 7 de Ouros — 7 de Ouros
(1962) Odeon MOFB 3259 - Jacob de Bandolim — Assanhado
(1966) RCA Camden CALB 5096 - Os Farroupilhas — Os Farroupilhas em Hi-Fi
(1957) Columbia LPCB 37099 - Orquestra Milionários del Rio, Delano — Bronzes & Cristais
(1963) Copacabana CLP 11292 - Dalva de Oliveira — O Encantamento do Bolero
(1962) Odeon MOFB 3280
This double-page spread from the book features saxophonists Héctor Costita aka Don Júnior and Zé Bodega, and the puzzling reutilization of arrangements.
Don Júnior is the alias of Argentinian Hector Bisignani (*1934). Artistically known as Héctor Costita, he is one of Brazil’s most famous alto and tenor saxophonists, also playing the flute and the clarinet. Héctor Costita started the saxophone at the age of 18, to be invited by Lalo Schifrin to join his band just two years later. Moving to Brazil in 1957, he was a member of Henrique Simonetti’s orchestra until 1962. From 1961 to 1964, Héctor Costita recorded the albums O Fabuloso Hector and Impacto under his artistic name, plus Sambas and Sambas No. 2 with the alias of Don Júnior. Apart from his solo efforts, Héctor Costita played on numerous albums by the likes of Dick Farney, Tenório Jr., Sérgio Mendes’ Bossa Rio Sextet, Manfredo Fest and Erlon Chaves. Héctor Costita’s 1964 album Impacto is considered a true classic of bossa jazz, featuring himself on tenor sax and flute with his sextet of Magno D’Alcantara ‘Maguinho’ on trumpet, Benedito Pereira dos Santos ‘Ditinho’ on trombone, Luiz Mello on piano, Manoel Luiz Vianna aka Xú Viana on bass, Rezala José aka Turquinho on drums and guests Elias Slon on violin, Flávio Russo on cello, Sebastião Neto on bass and Édison Machado on drums. After that, he applied himself to a study period at the Conservatoire de Paris, before continuing his career.
Playlist Héctor Costita:
1. Insensatez (Antônio Carlos Jobim – Vinícius de Moraes) from the album Impacto (1964)
2. A Nega Se Vingou from the album O Fabuloso Hector (1962)
2. Impacto (Héctor Costita) from the album Impacto (1964)
Apart from their undisputed musical quality, the two albums released with the alias Don Júnior are interesting for a specific reason: at least 21 of the 24 songs have been recorded with the very same arrangements as on other artists’s albums. It appears that the label RGE has both reutilized the same audio tracks (as it seems compared to Elza Laranjeira‘s recordings) and recorded the same scores with a slightly different tempo (as it seems compared to Miltinho‘s recordings). Besides, Ruben Perez ‘Pocho’ is credited as arranger and conductor on both of Don Júnior’s albums, even though the same arrangements are credited to colleagues on the other artist’s albums, such as Sei credited to Henrique Simonetti on Elza Laranjeira’s Ternura, Só Danço Samba credited to Erlon Chaves on Elza Laranjeira’s A Música de Jobim e Vinícius, and Ah! Se Eu Pudesse, Nós e o Mar and A Mesma Rosa Amarela credited to Erlon Chaves on Maysa’s Canção do Amor Mais Triste.
Tracklist and comparative samples of Sambas – Don Júnior e Seu Sax Maravilhoso (1961) credited Héctor Costita on alto and tenor saxophone, Walter Wanderley on organ, Olmir Stocker and Edgar Gianolo on guitar, Xú Viana on bass, Rogério on pandeiro and Milton Banana on drums plus orchestra RGE arranged and conducted by Ruben Perez ‘Pocho’:
1.Ternurinha (Tereza Souza) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Elza Laranjeira’s album Ternura
2. Quem Quiser Encontrar o Amor (Carlos Lyra – Geraldo Vandré) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Maysa’s album Maysa, Amor… e Maysa [→ Playlist]
3. Lamento Bebop (Haroldo Barbosa – Luis Reis) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Miltinho’s album Miltinho é Samba [→ Playlist]
4. Murmúrio (Djalma Ferreira – Luis Antônio) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Maysa’s album Maysa, Amor… e Maysa
5. Saudade Fique Comigo (Cyro Monteiro) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Miltinho’s album Miltinho é Samba
6. Sei (Chico Feitosa – Ronaldo Bôscoli) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Elza Laranjeira’s album Ternura [→ Playlist]
7. Chorou Chorou (Luis Antônio) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Maysa’s album Maysa, Amor… e Maysa
8. Que Sabe Você de Mim (Fernando César – João Leal Brito ‘Britinho’) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Miltinho’s album Miltinho é Samba
9. Em Hora Errada (Fernando César – Armando Cavalcanti – Diva Correla) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Elza Laranjeira’s album Ternura [→ Playlist]
10. Chorando Chorando (Édson Borges – Armando Cavalcanti) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Miltinho’s album Miltinho é Samba
11. Água de Beber (Antônio Carlos Jobim – Vinicius de Moraes) with arrangement also released in 1961 on Elza Laranjeira’s album Ternura
12. Samba de Improviso (Haroldo Barbosa – Luis Reis) with arrangement presumably also released in 1961 on Marco Antônio’s single Samba de Improviso b/w Volta
Tracklist and comparative samples of Sambas Nº 2 – Don Júnior e Seu Sax Maravilhoso (1963) credited Héctor Costita on alto and tenor sax with uncredited accompaniment plus orchestra RGE arranged and conducted by Ruben Perez ‘Pocho’:
1. Só Danço Samba (Antônio Carlos Jobim – Vinicius de Moraes) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Elza Laranjeira’s single Só Danço Samba b/w Samba do Avião [→ Playlist]
2. Ah! Se Eu Pudesse (Roberto Menescal – Ronaldo Bôscoli) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Maysa’s album Canção do Amor Mais Triste
3. Nós e o Mar (Roberto Menescal – Ronaldo Bôscoli) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Maysa’s album Canção do Amor Mais Triste
4. Raízes (Denis Brean – Osvaldo Guilherme) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Rosana Toledo’s album A Voz do Amor [→ Playlist]
5. Sambossa (Agostinho dos Santos – Ayres dos Santos) with arrangement also released in 1963 on Agostinho dos Santos’ Argentinian EP Bossa Nova En El Carnegie Hall
6. Boa Noite Rio (Haroldo Barbosa – Luis Reis) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Helena de Lima’s album O Céu Que Vem de Você
7. Barquinho (Roberto Menescal – Ronaldo Bôscoli) with arrangement based on Erlon Chaves’ arrangement for Agostinho dos Santos’s 1962 EP Agostinho no Carnegie Hall.
8. A Mesma Rosa Amarela (Capiba – Carlos Penna Filho) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Maysa’s album Canção do Amor Mais Triste
9. Samba de uma Nota Só (Antônio Carlos Jobim – Newton Mendonça) with arrangement also released in 1963 on Agostinho dos Santos’ Argentinian EP Bossa Nova En El Carnegie Hall
10. Volta Por Cima (Paulo Vanzolini) with arrangement presumably also released in 1962 on Clóvis de Lima’s single Volta Por Cima b/w Celina
11. Foi a Saudade (Djalma Ferreira – Iza Ferreira) with arrangement presumably also released in 1963 on Paulo Ricardo’s single Foi a Saudade b/w Boneca de Doce
12. Samba do Avião (Antônio Carlos Jobim) with arrangement also released in 1962 on Elza Laranjeira’s single Só Danço Samba b/w Samba do Avião [→ Playlist]
[Special thanks to Órfãos do Loronix for helping in the research.]
The artwork for Sambas – Don Júnior e Seu Sax Maravilhoso is by Patricio Marre.
The artwork for Encontro Dançante is by César G. Villela with photograph by Francisco Perreira.
The artwork for É Ótimo is by Antoninho with photograph by O. Micheloni.
The artwork for Conjunto 7 de Ouros is by Mafra.
The uncredited artwork for Bronzes & Cristais shows a photograph by Mafra.
The artwork for O Encantamento do Bolero is by Moacyr Rocha with photograph by Mafra.
Zé Bodega (1923-2003), born as José de Araújo Oliveira, was another one of Brazil’s fine saxophonists. He was the brother of band leader Severino Araújo, whose Orquestra Tabajara was the start of Zé Bodega’s career which lasted almost 50 years. He played his renowned tenor sax on a number of albums by Turma da Gafieira, Os Saxsambistas Brasileiros, Os Chorões and Lição de Balanço as well as on some albums which he recorded with his brothers Jaime Araújo, Manoel Araújo and Severino Araújo. Except for two singles in 1949 and 1952, Zé Bodega recorded only one album as a soloist, the swinging Um Sax no Samba in 1961, of course arranged and conducted by his brother Severino Araújo.
Playlist Zé Bodega:
1. Água de Beber (Antônio Carlos Jobim – Vinícius de Moraes) from the album Um Sax no Samba (1961)
2. Nem Toda Água do Mar (Moacir Braga) from the album Um Sax no Samba (1961)
3. Sambando (Geraldo Medeiros) from the album Um Sax no Samba (1961)
The artwork for Um Sax no Samba is by Joselito with photograph by Mafra.
Brazilliance 
That’s a real interesting list of comparable samples. A few of Maysa’s and Elza’ arrangements sounded familiar to me already earlier, but I couldn’t find out, why. Thanks for lifting that mystery. I also didn’t know before that Don Junior and Hector Costita are just the same great sax player.
I am a bit surprised that he played with Os Cinco-Pados. The CD re-issue of this record credits Carlos Alberto Alcantara on sax (the CD booklet seems to be a copy of the original LP cover). A typo or just another alias of Hector Costita :) ?
Das war wieder ein super Posting – danke!
Frank