Search - Virginia Rodrigues :: Mares Profundos

The Afro-Sambas reimagined

Eric Crawford | California, USA | 10/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Suddenly there's a flurry of recordings of the Afro-Sambas by Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes, some of the most important compositions in samba. The only recording you really need is the original from 1966 with the authors themselves. But a few others are perfect in their way, such as Monica Salmaso/Paulo Bellinati. But this version is superb, too. Virginia's voice evokes a sacred, silvery presence of the goddess of the sea (on Canto de Iemanja) and some of the joy of the 1966 recording (on Labareda, for example).The arrangements of Luiz Brasil are real standouts. Lapinha shimmers with samba-de-roda handclaps AND big-band winds, felicidade AND sophistication. In other words, this CD benefits from some of the genius that made Caetano's Livro CD a career highlight.Get the 1966 version first. Get this a week later!"

A profound disappointment compared to Nos and Sol Negro

J. Burns | Jacksonville, FL USA | 04/12/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"If you liked Nos and Sol Negro, you may not like this one as much - I didn't. It feels very 1960s tired and hasn't the same energy and life of Rodrigues' first two albums. I listen to those all the time; I won't listen to this one much."

Major Disappointment!

Eric Crawford | 07/07/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Although there is nothing like the pure voice of Virginia Rodrigues, this album was a MAJOR disappointment. Her first album was wonderful, her second OK, and this one, unfortunately, is in most ways a failure. The arrangements are unimaginative and they have sort of a Lawrence Welk quality, and most of the tracks lack any Afro-Brazilian feel at all. I hope that on her next album she goes back to the popular Brazilian rhythms and melodies that made her first album such an amazing musical achievement.
If you want true Afro-Sambas, try to find the original 1966 album, with Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes, which is available as part of the 13 CD Baden Powell box."