The Carnival in 1968. Clockwise from left to right: Terry Fischer, Tommy Neal, José Soares, and Janis Hansen.

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.[1]

A self-titled album was released in 1969.[2] 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.

Soares returned to Brazil, where not much has been heard about him since. Hansen left the mainstream music industry, married a lawyer in 1970, raised a family, at one point working as a state employee, but later focusing on producing and writing. Neal went to become a more active member of his local congregation. Fischer reinvented herself as a jazz singer; having toured with Frank Sinatra being among her notable credentials. She briefly relaunched the Murmaids with her sister and recorded a reunion album in 2002.

Fischer and Hansen both died in 2017, seven months apart from each other.

LPs / CDs

The Carnival - 1969 - World Pacific Records WPS-21894

Side One:

Side Two:

The LP was re-released as a CD in 2004 by Rev-Ola Records. It contained the following additional tracks:

  • Where There's a Heartache (There Must Be a Heart) (Bacharach/David)
  • The Truth About It (Cheryl Ernst (Wells) music and lyrics[3])
  • Son of a Preacher Man (Mono, as the original single release)

References

  1. ↑ John Clemente - Girl Groups: Fabulous Females Who Rocked The World 1477281282 2013 - Page 340 "The Carnival included former Brazil '66 singer Janis Hansen and Jose Suares. Bones Howe produced their recordings, with the instrumental backings were provided by the Wrecking Crew. Fischer continued to perform on the road and in cabarets, on television at The Jerry Lewis Telethon and the .."
  2. ↑ "Special Merit Picks", Billboard. October 4, 1969. p. 67. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ Bones Howe "Hello There Music"/copyright 1969 Cheryl Ernst
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