Search - Wanda De Sah :: Softly

Bossa Nova At Its Best

F. Hagan | Raleigh, North Carolina, USA | 08/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In an age where music can be pirated with relative ease, the odds of certain cherished LP albums ever getting re-mastered are starting to get as likely as a winning lottery ticket. When this reviewer discovered that the smoky voice of the lovely Wanda De Sah and her excellent album "Softly" was finally getting the fine treatment with a new import release, I hit the ceiling. Then I demanded I get to talk about this album. Without artists like Wanda De Sah there might never have been a Pink Martini or a Pepe and the Bottle Blondes. Lounge culture might have suffered.

The Bossa Nova influence over the lounge scene in the 60's is not debatable. The fusion of Brazilian rhythm ideas with contemporary vocals made many artists real names in a burgeoning period of crossover success stories. Wanda de Sah, a real girl from Ipanema, and a talented guitarist of the Bossa sound in her own right, followed the success of her exposure as a featured artist in Sergio Mendes' Brazil '65 ensemble with a solid solo effort in "Softly."

Young fans of the Ultra Lounge series will recognize Wanda's name from several quality recordings that appear on that Grammy winning CD set, but this is the CD to own. With tunes like "Ho Ba La La" and "Samba de Orfeu" the singer's voice both tempts and excites you. This is a well-planned recording, with material from such big name Bossa Nova giants as Tom Jobim, Vinicius, and Carlos Lyra. "So Danco Samba" might be regarded as the best track historically, but there's equal appeal in pieces like "Corcovado" and "Once I Loved." Some of the songs are in English, and the playful, airy, international voice that so impressed Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole's agent is alive and well with digital re-mastering. The Portuguese tracks create a sense of art that modern Bossa artists are always reaching for, and the arrangements of Jack Marshall on this album are endearing to the ears."

An essential as well as Vagamente

samba nova | Topanga Canyon | 08/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll say the same thing as my other Wanda de Sah review: It's a must have.

I could go on and on but why? This is essential."