Customer Reviews

Edu E Tom

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If that old cliche "a match made in Heaven" didn't exist, it would have to be created to describe this album, as it unites two of Brazil's greatest melodists ever. The generation that came right after Bossa Nova produced no few masters of melody, such as Marcos Valle, Dori Caymmi and Francis Hime; but, much as I dislike absolutes, Edu Lobo is to me the finest of the lot, and the one who comes closest to Jobim (of whom nothing need be said) in range, sophistication and just plain beauty. Small wonder that Vinicius de Moraes, who, together with Jobim and Joao Gilberto, defined Bossa Nova, was also Edu's frequent partner - two of the songs in this album are by Edu and Vinicius. Small wonder that one of those, Canto Triste, was recorded, with English lyrics of her own which Vinicius himself regarded as the best versions ever of his original words, by Lani Hall, the US singer who had the (here I go absolutizing again) most perfect feeling for Brazilian music, who also recorded (and wrote the English lyrics for) another of this CD's selections, Pra Dizer Adeus. And no wonder at all that Tom and Edu blend so perfectly in every aspect: listeners who are not familiar with the songs may be hard pressed to guess which song is by whom. Edu sings Tom's Chovendo na Roseira as if he had written it, Tom joins in in Edu's uptempo Vento Bravo (with *both* playing piano) as if it had come out of his Matita Pere album. The selections? Gem after gem. If you have an ear for beauty, don't miss this one.

A friend of mine on a popular social networking site (who is something of a Jazz Prodigy) one day came out with a completely random update: "Edu & Tom are Utterly Brilliant & everyone in the world should hear them". I researched them a little further and was incredulous as to what on Earth 'Brazilian Jazz' sounded like. My friend said something to the effect of 'try it & see' & boy am I glad I did!

To me, most modern Jazz comes over as similar to techno - bleak & depressing. The pleasant thing about this CD is that it's cheery, but in a refreshing, exotic & mellow way that defies description. Yes - it's Jazz, but cliche-free, interesting Jazz that is experimental in the true sense of being unfamiliar yet curious.

Hearing the whole record (even though I don't understand a word!) reminded me of what Noel Gallagher said when finishing a Burt Bacharach album: "Man, that was easy!" Somehow a Brazilian dialect of Portugese sounds serene & the fact that your brain doesn't understand any of it passes you by.

My one issue, naturally, is that none of the album is translated into English (not even the sleevenotes) & there is a dearth of information on the duo.

Still (as I've said in many other reviews) there is something delicious about knowing music that no-one else does. It's like understanding the secret of Think and Grow Rich or the Tao Te Ching & keeping a knowing grin on you at all times. People may ask but, unlike my friend, I'll never tell...