Search - Gato Barbieri :: Tropico

A dated, but wonderfully diverse and uplifting release.

02/09/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The disco beat behind most of the songs on Tropico may sound dated and the jungle scene on the cover may look a little silly now, but nothing lifts my spirits faster than this CD, and in particular, Gato's version of Caetano Veloso's "Odara." Rarely do I find myself liking a remake more than an original, but I have heard "Odara" on a couple of Veloso's CD's, done in a couple of different ways, and I really love Gato's version best. Veloso may be its creator, but Gato really brings the song to life, transforming it from a pretty, but repetitive tune into an exultant masterpiece. And he leads into it so cleverly from his own introductory piece, "Adoro." This kind of lead-in is one of those 'neat little things' that Gato does especially well. Another especially wonderful song on this release is "She Is Michelle," which, in my opinion, is the most beautiful song Gato has ever written--and quite possibly the most beautiful song any man has ever written for his wife. I don't like this verison of "Where Is the Love," which sounds watered down with only a small portion of the lyrics being sung over and over, but the diversity of songs, which include an artistic disco version of Ravel's Bolero, makes this a fun, and perhaps even unique, release"