Refazenda

Refazenda came out in August 1975 on Philips. Mazzola directed production, Perinho Albuquerque coordinated the music and the orchestra arrangements, and Gil did the base arrangements. After the experimentalism of Tropicália and the early 1970s, Gil surprised the public and critics with a simpler sound inspired by baião and Northeastern rhythms. Critic Ana Maria Bahiana wrote that the simplicity was false, a "despojamento voluntário" (voluntary stripping down), and José Miguel Wisnik pointed to a "jogo sutil de imprevistos" in the arrangements.

The title is a neologism. With a hippie-movement influence, the album speaks of the environment and of closeness to nature, and Antônio Risério reads the avocado tree Gil addresses as a version of the Tree of Life. Pai e Mãe is the only choro, accompanied by a regional group, over a lyric that challenges conservative values. Dominguinhos co-wrote Tenho Sede and Lamento Sertanejo, and Jorge Mautner co-wrote O Rouxinol.

Its success led to the Re trilogy, completed by Refavela in 1977 and Realce in 1979, with the live Refestança between. Rolling Stone Brasil ranked it 43rd among the greatest Brazilian albums. Gil contributed Refazenda to the 1996 AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio, and Zizi Possi recorded Meditação in 1993.