Customer Reviews

Fernanda Porto

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Trama recording artist Fernanda Porto is a singer, composer, programmer and multi-instrumentalist; a classically trained pianist who plays drums, saxophone, and guitar, and sings opera as well. In 2003 the São Paulo-born Porto was honored with a Latin Grammy nomination in the category of Best New Artist, the only Brazilian and the only independent label recording artist on the short list of nominees.
After 10 or so years on the road, this musical dynamo has finally found the time to release her self-titled debut CD, a bold juxtaposition of drum 'n' bass with bossa nova and samba, which has already achieved gold status in Brazil. It only makes sense that the visionary São Paulo record label Trama -- home to some of Brazil's most original new talents - should release this extraordinary debut.
Porto composed all but one of the songs on the CD; she also did her own programming and played all of the instruments. She shared lyric-writing duties with renowned Brazilian lyricists and poets such as Paulo Leminsky, Arnaldo Antunes, Ledusha, Edu Ruia, Lina de Albuquerque and Martha Medeiros.
The Jobim bossa nova classic Só Tinha que Ser Com Você, the only cover on the album, takes an exciting new turn with Porto's reinterpretation, a winning collaboration with the great Brazilian DJ Patife.
Baque Virado, written with Alba Carvalho, is one of the album's highlights. The track gives a modern spin to the energy and playfulness of one of northeastern Brazil's most famous musical styles, maracatu. Throughout the disc, Porto ably creates a successful fusion between both sophisticated electronic club beats and diverse traditional Brazilian rhythms. Another benchmark track is Tudo De Bom, a composition inspired by the sentimental heart of Brazil, Rio de Janiero.
Although this is her debut album, Porto displays more musical maturity and innovation than many artists on their second or third releases. With her self-titled release, the soft-spoken Paulistana is clearly positioned at the forefront of a powerful new wave in Brazilian music.

I asked a record store clerk in São Paulo for a good album combining electronica and bossa nova sounds, and without a moment's thought, he grabbed Fernanada Porto's album and handed it to me. It's fantastic. She's gone and rethought the "classic" Brazilian sound, and the result it amazing... "Tudo de bom" and "Vilarejo Ínitimo" are totally engaging tracks, as is the more Axé-sounding "Baque Virado". "Electricidade" and "Sambassim" are also quite nifty.

Highly recommended!

This C.d Is just beautiful. I had known about fernanda porto from some of the marky & patife mixes and just fell in love from there. Theres so much to love...from the beautiful Brazilian Vocals, to the bossa nova beats fused with both jazzy and tech step drum and bass. You can deffinately dance to it ...yet its also perfect to just sit back and relax. Her voice is just so beautiful and melodic...and thats hard to find these days.

While I was in Rio de Janeiro, I asked my Carioca friend what he thought was good Brazilian drum'n'bass. There was no question about what I should buy as he handed me this CD. I very rarely listen to an album from beginning to end and I can do it with this album. It contains beautiful elements of samba, bossa nova, and drum'n'bass. My faves are "Baque Virado", "Tudo De Bom", and "Sambassim". Listen for the distinctive sound of the Brazilian musical instrument called cuica in this song.

I highly recommend this disc if you like Brazilian music and/or electronica, such as Bebel Gilberto's remixes album. I bought this disc "sight unheard" without knowing what to expect. Her style is a great mix of bossa nova flavored with light electronica, drum 'n bossa, if you like. I think what surprises me the most, besides the consistent quality of the CD, is the fact the Fernando Porto not only wrote all the tracks but one, but plays all the instruments and did her own programming. This is one super bossa woman. Highlights include "Electricidade," "Baque Virado," and "Amor Errado." Also recommended: DJ Patiffe's remixes of Fernanda Porto. And if you like Fernando Porto, check out another new Brazilian "drum 'n bossa" artist, Mylene, who is also well worth a listen.

If you like latin and Brazilian music, then you will love this album. The album generally sounds like bossa, but with a an electronic twist. It is good as background music, and there is a lot to listen to if you want to concentrate on it. It's definately not an album that you will listen to a couple of times and then forget about. If you like bossa nova and are looking something new to add to your collection, Fernanda Porto's debut album is a must buy.

I have listened to Fernanda live shows many times, and it still amazes me that she composes her own songs, arranges, performs and sings then so brilliantly. Besides electronic instruments (sinths and stuff like that) she also plays saxophone, piano and guitar. Her lyrical singer training can be seen at the song 1999, and believe me, that is her natural unaltered voice.

living in brazil, i have been exposed to many more types of brazilian music than just the typical samba, which is sometimes all you get when you search for brazilian music in the states....this album caught my attention in the Curitiban airport, and i haven't stopped listening to it since...check out tracks 1,3, and 4.

I heard a song on a flight from Europe and I thought this CD would be a cool one and ordered it from Amazon. It was extremely disappointing. All songs sounded the same and I ended up selling the CD 3 days later for $2 :-(((