The world of Brazilian music is a vast one that Putumayo Records has explored in previous releases. This latest collection spans the vast country’s wide range of styles of music.
The album opens with the velvety voice of Vania Abreu, sister of superstar Daniela Mercury, who gives a silky rendition of the Djavan classic “Embola Bola.” Abreu’s laid-back Afro-Brazilian rhythms transition to the bossa nova of Rogê’s, “Fala Brasil,” a love song to his home country. The nomadic songstress Bïa follows with “Beijo,” an ode to Brazilians’ passion for kissing. It blends the forró style of Brazil’s Northeast with the laidback charm of a Parisian café.
The exploration of Brazil’s diverse multicultural influences continues on the rest of the ten cuts on the album. There’s heavy samba with killer brass arrangements, a homage to traditional West African saints, a flashback to 1970s Brazil, the golden era of samba soul, and a traditional candomblé song among others.
