Search - PM Dawn with Flora Purim & Airto, Crystal Waters :: Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure

Eclectic, fun, different -- worth a try

Jennifer Stevens | Richmond, VA USA | 12/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this CD on a whim a few years ago, and it's now one of my favorites. Like another reviewer said, I had to listen to it a few times before it grew on me. But that doesn't mean it's bad; that just speaks of its uniqueness. What "Red, Hot & Rio" offers is not something I'd ever heard before, or since, really.There are several reasons I like this CD. For one, the proceeds go to benefit AIDS awareness efforts. Second, this is good "background" music -- even when upbeat it allows you to hold a conversation and not get distracted by the music. But the coolest thing is the selection of music itself."Red, Hot & Rio" contains almost a mini-evolution of Brazilian music. It starts out mellow and somewhat traditional. The sound of the bossa nova "Desafinado," for instance, is quite laid-back and timeless. But gradually, the music begins to rev up, as current performers experiment with classic sounds. Some techno beats are thrown in, some modern hooks, lots of interesting drums and percussion, even some rap. The end of the CD sounds completely different from the beginning of it -- almost like you've just gone through 40 years of Brazilian music on one CD.I can't honestly say I love all the songs; I tend to favor the first half of the CD over the second, save a couple of songs (such as "Refazenda"). But that's the beauty of CDs: You simply skip over those songs you don't care for. Of course, people who like the "original" bossa nova or samba sounds will be disappointed. They don't want the music to have changed and evolved, but to remain exactly the same as it was 40+ years ago. (Ironically, samba enthusiasts felt the same way about the bossa nova movement in the 1950s.) But that's what I love about this CD. It pushes the limits of this style of music. The core of all the songs is the same, just the techniques and deliveries have changed. That's what makes it interesting.People who have records of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Gilberto Gil and expect this to sound like more of the same should stay away from this CD. People who are open-minded to experimentation with a classic style of music would be more likely to embrace it."

New Takes on Brazilian Pop

Rodney Meek | Austin, TX | 06/30/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Now, mind you, I can't tell the samba from the bossa nova from...some other type of music that might be played in Brazil. But I still have an interest in hearing the quasi-tropical cocktail lounge-style pop tunes of this mighty South American giant. They speak Portugese there, you know. And are known to launch at a moment's notice into the lamabada, which is a forbidden dance.



Most of the songs contained herein were written way back in the day by Antonio Carlos Jobim and at least a few should be vaguely familiar: "The Girl From Ipanema", of course, but also "One Note Samba", "Waters Of March", and "Water To Drink". But these aren't the original versions--they're updates in a variety of styles. Some work pretty well, some will make you want to hurl (mainly Sting's take on "How Insensitive", which is droning and pointless).



Notable are: a punched-up synth-heavy "Ipanema" by one-hit-wonder Crystal Waters, jazz group Incognito on "Water To Drink", world-music-loving David Byrne and sultry Marisa Monte on "Waters Of March", the well-known Caetano Veloso and Ryuichi Sakamoto with the lesser-known Cesaria Evora on "E Preciso Perdoar", Stereolab's quirky and strange "One Note Samba", and Bebel Gilberto on "Preciso Dizer Que Te Amo".



The Red Hot series, which started with the Cole Porter tribute "Red Hot + Blue", has always done excellent work and this compilation is no exception. If you'd like to sample Brazilian pop music of a certain era but you're terrified of breaking out your dad's dusty old Jobim LPs, this is a great way to see what's what.



Also the liner notes are extensive and informative, so you really get your money's worth. I'm still not clear on the divide between samba and bossa nova, but I reckon that's my fault."

Great for Jobim Fans

Peter John Hill | Seattle, WA | 07/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you like Bossa Nova, particularly Antonio Carlos Jobim, you will love this CD. It has covers by many current artists of his songs, as well as some other Brazilian music. I like how the liner has the lyrics in English, but almost all the songs are in Portuguese. The David Byrne Waters of March in an exception, where he sings in English, and a woman is singing in Portuguese, but it works out very well.An excellent addition. I have most of the songs on the album on at least two other CDs, but the artists have played with the songs enough to complement the originals."