Foreign acts visit Brazil 1957 to 1968: 1961 - Buddy Rich - Ray Anthony

Eartha Kitt arrived in Rio de Janeiro on 1st June 1961; she sang at the Copacabana Palace and Ginasio da Tijuca which was broadcast by TV Tupi, Channel 6. Ms Kitt then flew to São Paulo where she sang 3rd June 1961, at Teatro Tupi (former Cine Ritz-Consolação at Rua da Consolação, 2403).

1961

Maureen Cannon January 22 to 25

American Ice Show Revue February 1 to 15

Lonnie Sattin March 1 to 7

Buddy Rich w Morgana King March 8 to 12

Sacha Distel March 21 to 27

Ray Anthony & His Orch. April 3 to 9

Caterina Valente April 11 to 17

Tamara Toumanova April 19 to 21

Sammy Davis, Jr. (2nd) April 26 to 30

Tony Bennett May 17 to 18

Holiday in Japan May 27 to June 4

Frankie Avalon June 19 to 25

Domenico Modugno (2nd) July 3 to 9

Dizzie Gilespie & His Orch. July 14 to 19

Music Hall das Americas Aug. 7 to Sep. 10

Tony Curtis Sept. 30 (only)

Brenda Lee (2nd) October 17 & 18

Harold Nicholas October 23 to 29

Eri Chiemi November 1 to 10

Benny Goodman & His Orch. Nov. 21st to 25

Gene Barry (Bat Masterson) Nov. 29 to Dec. 3

(This list comprises only the 21 acts who were signed to TV Record.)

1961 was the best year ever for foreign acts visiting S.Paulo. TV Record found fierce competition from TV Tupi that managed to bring foreign acts to fill in their monthly shows at newly Teatro Tupi on Rua da Consolação, just 2 blocks away opposite to TV Record's own venue.

Big bands and their crooners or instrumentists were still popular as drummer Buddy Rich, band-leader Ray Anthony & his trumpet plus Benny Goodman, former 'King of Swing', were high in their list.

Rock'n'roll on the other hand kept was a hot with the return of Maureen Cannon and Brenda Lee, plus teen heart-throb Frankie Avalon.

Maureen Cannon who had been in S.Paulo in Octobert 1957 with the All American revue 'Rock'n'roll Fantasy' was back as a solo artist; 18, 20 & 21 January 1961.

5 March 1961 - Lonnie Sattin sings at Teatro Record; 7 March 1961 - OESP 'Carrossel' columnist Mary Wynne says dummer Buddy Rich would arrive with his combo of 6 figures and would go straight to Hotel Comodoro on Avenida Duque de Caxias and to Teatro Record soon after to have their first rehearsal. They are: singer Morgana King, Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Sam Most (flute & clarinet), John Morris (piano), Wyatt Ruther (bass) and Vincent Marino (bongo). They would also play at Farney's at Praça Roosevelt - night club owned by Brazilian singer-pianist Dick Farney.

US drummer Buddy Rich with vocalist Morgana King from 8 to 12 March 1961.

Stanislau Ponte Preta criticizes Buddy Rich at Rio's 'Diario da Noite' 11 March 1961.

Sacha Distel at Teatro Record from 21 to 27 March 1961. Sacha also sang at Farney's on Praça Roosevelt, the night club belonging to Dick Farney; on the right a review written by an unidentified columnist at Estadão on 26 March 1961.

OESP 2 April 1961; on 6 April, Ray played at Club Pinheiros too.

Ray Anthony & his combo from 3 to 9 April 1961.

Caterina Valente

Tony Bennett performed at Teatro Record 17 & 18 May 1961.

Domenico Modugno is back at Teatro Record from 3 to 9 July 1961.

American Jazz Festival 15-member orchestra featuring Chris Connor on 16 July 1961 at Rio de Janeiro's Teatro Municipal, broadcast by TV Tupi, Channel 6.

Frankie Avalon from 19 to 25 July 1961.

Frankie Avalon holds a record given to him by Afonso Soares, the fellow wearing a tie...

Frankie Avalon & Brazilian teen-ager singer Chiquita.

23 & 34 July 1961 at Teatro Ritz-Consolação; right: review of Frankie Avalon on 25 June 61.

Della Reese performed in Rio de Janeiro first - from 7 to 13 August 1961 - then flew to S.Paulo.

13 August 1961 - OESP columnist Mary Wynne writes a note about Della Reese's well-received tour in Rio de Janeiro and her recital at Hebraica on 14 August 1961.

16 August 1961 at Teatro Tupi which used to be Cine Ritz-Consolação until recently.

from 22 to 27 August 1961.

ad published at OESP on 23rd July 1961 anouncing Helen Hayes at Teatro Municipal on 28 September 1961.

Aurelio Fierro on 24 & 25 September 1961, at Teatro Tupi.

Tony Curtis was persuaded by someone at TV Record in presenting an impromptu one-night-stand variety show at Teatro Record on Saturday night, 30 September 1961 to be broadcast on Channel 7. It was easy to fill the entire theatre with so many fans eager to pay top cruzeiros to have the chance to see the heart throb in person. Brazilian comedian Chocolate who knew how to ad-lib for hours was signed to support Tony Curtis fill a whole hour with all sorts of non-sense to keep the audience intertained. Tony must have even tried to sing.

Tony Curtis dines at Hotel Jaraguá with Harry Stone & missus plus the man from fabric manufacturer Brasperola that made the best linen in town and sponsored his performance on TV Record.

Luciano Tajoli sings at Tennis Club Paulista on Rua Nilo on 17 October 1961. Tajoli was signed to TV Tupi.

Brenda Lee on 17 & 18 October 1961; Harold Nicholas from 23 to 29 October 1961.

Harry Nicholas of 'Brothers Nicholas'-fame performed from 23 to 29 October 1961 at Teatro Record.

Japanese pop singer Eri Chiemi filled Teatro Record from 1st to 7 November 1961.

Benny Goodam, o Rei do Swing from 21 to 25 November 1961.

OESP 26 November 1961 review of Benny Goodman & His Orchestra performance was not very kind: 'Benny Goodman, tanto no palco quanto na entrevista que concedeu ao chegar a S.Paulo, demonstrou que é um musico completamente superado, sem convicções reais e que estacionou há 20 anos (1941), não apresentando nada de novo, não mais contribuindo para o progresso do jazz e apenas se aproveitando do cartaz conquistado quando foi cognominado de 'Rei do Swing'. O guitarrista Howard Collins, inspirado em Jimmy Hall, demonstrou ser um bom músico mas não de salientou muito pelas poucas oportunidades que teve de solar. Houve um número de dueto de clarineta e guitarra, 'The man I love', mas a execução inexpressiva de Benny Goodman não permitiu a Collins fazer um solo destacado.