A great singer's swan song
cmartins | Rio de Janeiro, Brasil | 12/17/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was, sadly, Sylvinha's last album (although not her last recording). And, in a way, it was fitting that it should be all-Jobim (except for a rather extraneous Das Rosas, by Dorival Caymmi, included because it was at the time a big hit in the US market, to which this album was aimed), with arrangements by Lindolfo Gaya, who also arranged her 1959 Amor de Gente Moca album, the very first all-Jobim one (Elizete Cardoso's Cancao do Amor Demais had some songs with words and music both by Vinicius de Moraes). During her all-too-short recording career (1956-1966), Sylvia Telles was Jobim's favorite singer, to whom he often handed, "hot off the piano" as the liner notes say, many classics-to-be such as her trademark Dindi. In turn, Jobim penned no less than half the 100-odd songs she ever cut. As always, her voice matches Jobim's melodies and moods perfectly, whether somber, sprightly, introspective, impressionistic or unabashedly romantic as my personal favorite, All That's Left Is to Say Goodbye. In the nine tracks with words in English, a language she was fully fluent in, Sylvia delivers the lyrics faultlessly (with just an occasional, and endearing, touch of "carioca" accent), again conveying just the proper emotional tone. So do Gaya's lush arrangements, and kudos for Dubas Music, the producers of this reissue, for their care in listing the musicians who, as best as can be ascertained, played at the sessions. This album leaves just one thing to be desired: that Sylvinha had stayed longer with us, enchanting us with her beautiful voice and even more beautiful spirit.(Damn, it just struck me: it was on a December 17, in 1966, that Sylvinha was killed in a car crash.)"
Probably the best singer of early Jobim songs
Thiago Bastos | Rio de Janeiro | 11/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sadly, Sylvia Telles seems to be relatively unknown to Jobim fans worldwide.
Most of what has to been said about Sylvia is included in the above comment -- she was Jobim's favourite singer (for a good reason) and died tragically in a car wreck in 1966. Nevertheless, she is still considered by many (myself included) the best singer for many of Jobim's songs. The versions of "Useless Landscape", "Dindi" and "Once I Loved" included in this album are nothing short of perfect. A 5-star album no doubt."