Prelude is the eighth studio album by Brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato, released in 1973.DEODATO, Eumir. About/Introduction/History (link). Publicado no site official de Eumir Deodato. Página visitada em 3 de maio de 2015. With the signature track "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)" (an arrangement of the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey), the album can be categorised as classical-jazz fusion, thought by some as elevator music with a twist. Prelude would become the most successful recording for Deodato and CTI Records.
The album features guitarist John Tropea on three tracks, bassists Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke, and Billy Cobham on drums. The funk-influenced version of the "Introduction" from Richard Strauss's Also sprach Zarathustra, entitled "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)", won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and went to number two in the pop charts in the US, number three in Canada, and number seven in the UK. In 1977, the album was re-released briefly as 2001 with an alternate cover photo.
Later releases This album was reissued on the Super Audio CD format in October 2017 by UK label Dutton Vocalion, Remastered in both Stereo and Surround Sound from the original analogue tapes by Michael J. Dutton and released as a 2-fer with 1973's "Deodato 2". The Surround Sound portion of the disc features the Quadraphonic mixes of both "Prelude" and "Deodato 2" made available for the first time in over 40 years.
Track listing
Charts Chart (1973)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)17Canada (RPM (magazine))6
Personnel Eumir Deodato - piano, electric piano Ron Carter - electric bass (solo on "Baubles, Bangles and Beads"), bass Stanley Clarke - electric bass (solo on "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)") Billy Cobham - drums John Tropea - electric guitar (solo on "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)", "Baubles, Bangles and Beads", "September 13") Jay Berliner - guitar (solo on "Spirit of Summer") Airto Moreira - percussion Ray Barretto - congas Hubert Laws - flute (solo on "Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun") John Frosk - trumpet Marky Markowitz - trumpet Joe Shepley - trumpet Marvin Stamm - trumpet (solo on "Prelude to Afternoon of a Faun") Wayne Andre - trombone Garnett Brown - trombone Paul Faulise - trombone George Strakey - trombone Bill Watrous - trombone Jim Buffington - french horn Peter Gordon - french horn Phil Bodner - flute George Marge - flute Romeo Penque - flute Max Ellen - violin Paul Gershman - violin Emanuel Green - violin Harry Lookofsky - violin David Nadien - violin Gene Orloff - violin Eliot Rosoff - violin Emanuel Vardi - viola Al Brown - viola Harvey Shapiro - cello Seymore Barab - cello Charles McKracken - cello
Production Producer: Creed Taylor Arranged and conducted by Eumir Deodato Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder Recorded at Van Gelder Studios
Sources Steve Futterman, Prelude sleeve text
References