1969 The Carnival – Carnival

Carnival (1969, Liberty) is the only album released by The Carnival.

The Carnival was an American pop group formed by percussionist José Soares and vocalist Janis Hansen, both formerly of Sergio Mendes’ Brasil ’66. Initially a joint venture between Walter Wanderley and the original members of Brasil ’66, the group eventually settled into a quartet augmented by Terry Fischer of the Murmaids and bassist Tommy Neal.

The quartet’s Brasil ’66-meets-5th Dimension sound was largely the brainchild of producer-engineer Bones Howe, who gathered L.A.’s Wrecking Crew studio musicians like Hal Blaine and Larry Knechtel for the project.

A self-titled album was released in 1969 Two singles, “Son of a Preacher Man” b/w “Walk On By” and “Laia Ladaia” b/w “Canto de Carnival”, were issued to promote what was supposed to be their debut album. Despite Howe’s name attached to the project, public reaction was minimal; and plans for a follow-up record were scrapped. A single culled from the aborted sessions, “Where There’s a Heartache (There Must Be a Heart)” b/w “The Truth About It”, was put out in December 1970; but the Carnival had already dissolved by then.

Tracks

1  Canto De Carnival (The Carnival) 01:59
2  Laia Ladaia (Edu Lobo; Norman Gimbel; Ruy Guerra) 03:37
3  Sweets For My Sweet (Doc Pomus; Mort Shuman) 03:02
4  Take Me For A Little While (Trade Martin) 03:02
5  Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season) (Pete Seeger) 02:55
6  Hope (Louis Aldebert; Monique Aldebert) 02:55
7  Walk On By (Burt Bacharach; Hal David) 02:27
8  A Famous Myth (Jeffrey Comanor) 04:20
9  Son Of A Preacher Man (John Hurley; Ronnie Wilkins) 02:48
10  Reach Out For Me (Burt Bacharach; Hal David) 02:41
11  Love Is So Fine (Roger Nichols; Tony Asher) 02:41
12  The Word (John Lennon; Paul McCartney) 03:02

Musicians

BassJoe Osborn
BassSteve La Fever
BassTommy Neal
DrumsHal Blaine
DrumsJohn Guerin
DrumsRon Pelletier
GuitarDennis Budimir
GuitarMike Deasy
GuitarTommy Tedesco
KeyboardsLarry Knechtel
OrganDanny Kurtzman
PianoJimmy Rowles
PercussionJosé Soares
PercussionLarry Bunker
VocalsTommy Neal
VocalsJosé Soares
VocalsJanis Hansen
VocalsTerry Fischer

Liner Notes

Producer – Bones Howe
Arranged By – Bones Howe, Bill Holman, Bob Alcivar, The Carnival
Arranged By – John Tartaglia (Tracks 7, 10)
Coordinator – Ann McClelland
Engineer – Bones Howe

Engineered At Wally Heider Recording
Copyright Liberty