Di Melo – Di Melo

Di Melo's debut album was released in 1975 and is a fusion of genuine Brazilian rhythms with funk, soul and a good dose of psychedelia. Di Melo is one of the most important artists in Brazilian soul music and is considered by many to be just as talented and musically creative as his colleagues Jorge Ben and Tim Maia

Di Melo was missing from 1976 to 1997, the year in which his song "A Vida em Seus Métodos Diz Calma" appeared on the Blue Note record label's "Blue Brazil" collection. The word on the street was that he was dead until the documentary "Di Melo, o Imorrível" (Di Melo, the Immortal) was released in 2011. In this 2021 edition, the album includes the original 1975 insert with lyrics as well as photos from personal family archives and, for the first time, full credits with the names of all the musicians involved, including Hermeto Pascoal

The young man of 25, who came from the outskirts of Pernambuco, was at the height of his success. Psychedelic drugs and film references had knocked him out when he realized he was being conned by the rats of the music industry. His songs hit the radio charts and his music was recorded by some of Brazil's biggest names, but what he was paid for didn't live up to it. It is said that after seeing the movie "Blow Up" by Antonioni, Di Melo himself beat up the publisher who paid him less than 10 dollars for his rights in the last three months

Such events, emanating from the same strong personality that initially opened doors for him, led to Di Melo being ostracized by the ungrateful Brazilian music industry. Perhaps that was exactly what it took to make such a mythical album.