Customer Reviews

Afro Brasil

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very beautiful album. All the songs are very religious and/or have Yoruba religious overtones that so distinctly marks the Brazillian culture. I literally cannot get enough of this album, and make me dream of returning to see some its beauties. Very meditative. Despite, I might add, all the economical problems that this country has. Two thumbs up.

I'm not sure that I would categorize the music represented on this disc as entirely "Afro-Brazilian," but it's still a good collection. It actually belongs to an excellent Verve series of four, of which this album is my least favorite. That being said, I would still give it four stars and probably would have tacked on a 1/2 if there was the option. What this album really contains is a mix of some "traditional" northeastern, Bahian artists and some work from MPB (Brazilian rock/pop) artists which touch upon Afro-Brazilian musical themes. That is not to say that the songs aren't great. The Maria Bethania songs are among my favorites represented, and both she and Caetano Veloso are indeed from Bahia. Alcione and Margareth Menezes are both pop artists, but provide better material here than they typically produce. Some of the songs are a little tedious, but overall it's worth buying. I would recommend the companion in the series "Nordeste Brasil" which is one of my all time favorite compilations.

Of the excellent Verve collection (Samba, Bossa-Nova, Forro, Afro-Brasil) this is easily the weakest release. Some good songs here, for sure, but others are strikingly thin and synthed-up. Instead, go with the Samba disc, or better yet, "Samba Roots".