Brazilian Duos

Luciana Souza | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 14, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sunny Side
• ASIN: B00005NTQG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,563 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The lovely Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza is the daughter of songwriters Walter Santos and Teresa Souza. She's best known to American jazz lovers through her thrilling work with pianist Danilo Perez and for her critically acclaimed recording The Poems of Elizabeth Bishop and Other Songs. On this CD, Souza's fluid and floral vocals, which swing on every Portuguese-language phrase, are backed by three alternating Brazil-born guitarists--Romero Lubambo, her father, and Marco Pereira on eight-string guitar--performing compositions by Luis Gonzaga, Edú Lobo, Jacó do Banbolim, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Souza's parents. The combination of the plaintive and percussive guitar playing and Souza's sinewy voice is hard to beat. From the peppery "Baião Medley" and the bossa-nova-like "Doce de Coco" to the Afro syncopations of "Saudade da Bahia," Luciana Souza shows that when it comes to Brazilian music, less is more. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love or Hate at the first sight- For me, it is love., September 17, 2002

By 

Mediaflow (Hoboken, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Brazilian Duos (Audio CD)

This one of my favorite Brazilian CDs released in Year 2001. I have recommended to more than 10 music lovers, and every one of them loves it. The previous reviewer tried to compare Ms. Souza to Joyce, and the three guitarists to the great Joao Gilberto. His/her attempt is like comparing Flan to Tiramisu, not making much sense.

I own most albums from of Joao Gilberto to say that Joao uses his guitar to accompany his voice, not as a solo instrument. In this album, duo means guitar is equally important in making the sound. Ms. Souza¡¦s father Walter Santos is old. You can hear the stiffness of his hands. Even though, he has assisted her daughter with good taste. The other two guitarists Romero Lubambo and Marco Pereira have established themselves in many of their own albums in groups or in solo. The creativity, virtuosity, and energy from those two guitar masters are incredible.

Most songs in this album were carried out with exquisite details, with just simply Ms. Souza and a guitarist at a time. Unlike some big volume Jazz singers who love to use strong vibrato, Ms. Souza cleverly mixed a soft Bossa Nova like voice with an improvosative Jazz easiness. Not many singers are capable of doing this, and Ms. Souza did a wonderful job married those two cultures. This may be because she was raised in Brasil and studied/lived in New York City that she get used to both two music styles.

The recording of this album is audiophile level. I use this album to test new audio equipments for my home system upgrade. Mr. Pereira's 8 string guitar is especially well-recorded by a team in Brasil. 1/3 of this album (with Mr. Lubambo) is recorded in US, and the voice is smoother with slightly reduced dynamics. This album is not aimed to be a concert for 10000 people in a football stadium, shouting and yelling. This is for people who enjoy a small lounge with a few tables. If you have good sound system and good taste, you will appreciate this CD.

"Brazilian Duos" has a magic power to induce the deepest emotion from your heart. Love or hate is almost instantly. Whether you are a Jazz fan, pop music goer, or Bossa Nova philes, I highly recommend this album to you. You will hate it, or most likely love it at your first listening.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent voice and selction of Bossas and Jazzy Cuts, May 15, 2002

By 

Papetti "papetti" (Mexico City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Brazilian Duos (Audio CD)

Luciana has been more known for singing Jazz in English versions than in Portuguese; anyhow, her ratings have been fantastic, and after this release I hope they get even better, this girl deserves every single praise she's gotten. She is joined in this project by two great guitarists, Romero Lubambo and her father. The result is an acoustic jewel, laid back with the exception of two or three cuts. Purchase this CD, get a good drink ready, push play and raise the volume of your stereo and you'll be transported immediately to Brasil.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soulful set of samba and bossa classics, June 15, 2002

By 

Louis I. Jaffe (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brazilian Duos (Audio CD)

I first heard Luciana live with Danilo Perez on his Motherland tour, singing wordless jazz vocals. Who was this skinny chick singing like an angel? A recent issue of Americas magazine explained: She`s the daughter of a musical Brazilian family and grew up with a who's-who of famous Brazilian musicians. She went on to advanced music studies in New York and recognition in jazz circles. "Brazilian Duos," while jazzy, is anything but avant garde. It's a time capsule of bossa and samba classics. Souza sings with great warmth and taste; she's one of those rare performers who can evoke the full range of emotions, without going over the top. The guitar backups are strong, with Marco Pereira on eight-string the standout. Five stars.