Customer Reviews

Amazon River

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

 

 

Turn it on and close your eyes. Slowly you realize this is a different world. Everything seems light, cheerful, easy and relaxed but that tricky breeze is constantly changing and moving things around, giving you pleasant surprises at every turn. It is like a boat that gently rocks and sways to the constantly changing waves. As you relax to the music it carries you away.
This is bossa nova at its best, by one of the best. Wanda Sa (also known as Wanda de Sa) was there at the beginning, in the 60's. She made her first album at 19 (Vagamente) and was probably the youngest of the group that included Joao Gilberto, Tom Jobim and (her guitar teacher) Roberto Menescal. These were the people that created the bossa nova sound. She sang with Surgio Mendes but unlike the others, she has remained mainly a Brazilian singer. Until recently, her many albums have been difficult to get in this country. I heard her in the 60's and was enchanted. Now, thanks to the Internet, many of her albums are available so I have been slowly collecting, as my income allows.
When you hear her sing and play the guitar you can tell you are listing to someone who has lived with this music all her life. Her slightly off rhythm singing seems so simple and light. Then you notice that she has does things with the rhythm that most singers would never dream of attempting. This is what gives you that "boat on the sea" feeling.
I am not familiar with Celia Vaz but her voice fits very well with Wanda's. If you buy this CD do not buy "Brasileiras" it is the same disk. "Amazon River" is the US issue and "Brasileiras" is the import from Brazil. They are the same, with the same price. One just takes longer to deliver.
If you love Bossa Nova, and you probably wouldn't be reading this if you didn't, then you should not miss this artist. I can also recommend some of her other CD's that I have listened to. Specifically "Eu E a Musica," "Bossa Tres," and her first album (now a CD), "Wanda Vagamente."
Just close your eyes and listen. You will realize you have found something very special.

All-acoustic, classic-style arrangements of bossa nova songs (most of them not overdone "hits" in North America). The two singers do great solos and duets. And the songs with special guests - wow! Check out Track 5 with Joyce, making the most marvelous 3-part singing you can imagine. On track 4 they have Gal Costa, on Track 7 they add the 4 ladies of Quartetto Em Cy to get an incredible 6-voice sound. If you like old-style bossa this is a hidden pearl of great value - it should be selling in the millions, it's that good.

No liner notes to speak of (or photos), just the song titles, composers, and times. But those voices - as close as I can imagine the sounds of heaven.

Ordered the wrong cd (my error)and did not notice until it was unwrapped and played. No problem at all with the ordering and shipping. Was able to purchase a used cd by the artist I had originally intended to get and that worked satisfactorily. Will use Amazon again.