Sheer beauty
cmartins | Rio de Janeiro, Brasil | 11/30/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If that old cliche "a match made in Heaven" didn't exist, it would have to be created to describe this album, as it unites two of Brazil's greatest melodists ever. The generation that came right after Bossa Nova produced no few masters of melody, such as Marcos Valle, Dori Caymmi and Francis Hime; but, much as I dislike absolutes, Edu Lobo is to me the finest of the lot, and the one who comes closest to Jobim (of whom nothing need be said) in range, sophistication and just plain beauty. Small wonder that Vinicius de Moraes, who, together with Jobim and Joao Gilberto, defined Bossa Nova, was also Edu's frequent partner - two of the songs in this album are by Edu and Vinicius. Small wonder that one of those, Canto Triste, was recorded, with English lyrics of her own which Vinicius himself regarded as the best versions ever of his original words, by Lani Hall, the US singer who had the (here I go absolutizing again) most perfect feeling for Brazilian music, who also recorded (and wrote the English lyrics for) another of this CD's selections, Pra Dizer Adeus. And no wonder at all that Tom and Edu blend so perfectly in every aspect: listeners who are not familiar with the songs may be hard pressed to guess which song is by whom. Edu sings Tom's Chovendo na Roseira as if he had written it, Tom joins in in Edu's uptempo Vento Bravo (with *both* playing piano) as if it had come out of his Matita Pere album. The selections? Gem after gem. If you have an ear for beauty, don't miss this one."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1