Search - Dori Caymmi :: Influencias

Better after years of listening

Donald Hackett | Alameda, CA USA | 10/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"-Below is a copy and paste of my review of another, out of print, edition of this CD. After several years of listening, I stand behind the 5 stars.

-I like Dori Caymmi. I have all of his American records or CD's, and I try to turn my friends on to them. This CD is a tribute to the (Brazilian) musicans who influenced him, and has not been released in the U.S.--my copy is a Brazilian import. If you know his music, you know the basic recipe for this CD--Dori's guitar and warm baritone; his elegant arrangements; excellent musicians, including Paulinho da Costa, Abraham Laboriel, and the strings of Suzie Katayama (real violins! Real cellos!); and alternating flavors of playfulness and longing (saudade.) Add, for this CD, songs by Jobim, Baden Powell, Moraes, three songs by Dori's father, and others by songwriters I'm not familiar with. Throw-in guest appearances by Gal Costa, Dori's sister Nana, and others. For dessert, a short piano arrangement of Claire de Lun in triibute to Debussy's influence on Bossa Nova, and to Dori's piano teacher. (I think--the liner notes are all in Portuguese, which I can only guess at.) I find it warm without being trite, gentle without being weak, and romantic without being schmaltzy. My longing is for this CD to be released in the U.S. Until then, it's just a click away."