Search - Vinicius De Moraes :: Live in Buenos Aires

A somehow underrated artist outside of his native Brazil, Vinicius de Moraes was the ultimate lyricist of the bossa nova movement. Tender and delicate, his philosophical contemplations saw life as a melancholy, fleeting journey brightened by women, nature, and wine. De Moraes needed only a few words to verbalize the meaning of saudade (Brazil's term for nostalgia). Perhaps his powers are most eloquently illustrated in the lyrics he wrote for "The Girl from Ipanema," in which the sight of a pretty girl walking down the beach turns into a meditation on the inherent sadness of human existence. Live in Buenos Aires was actually recorded in the studio in front of a small audience as a re-creation of the shows that de Moraes had presented in Argentina's La Fusa coffeehouse together with guitarist Toquinho and vocalist Maria Creuza. Released in 1970, the original LP was titled Vinicius de Moraes en La Fusa and treasured by record collectors everywhere; the trio's harmonizing on the wistful "Tomara" and the joyful "Que Maravilha" makes it easy to understand why. Luminous versions of bossa staples such as "Ipanema" and "A Felicidade" are also included. Vinicius died in 1980, leaving Brazil in shock at the thought that such a life-affirming artist had actually departed the world. --Ernesto Lechner