Customer Reviews

Love Affair: Music of Ivan Lins

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Everyone is familiar with the compositions of Brazilian songwriting legend Atonio Carlos Jobim ("The Girl From Ipanema," "Desafinado," "Corcovado"), but another writer poised for legendary status is Ivan Lins, the subject of this immensely entertaining tribute album. Long celebrated among musicians, Lins may now find himself with some bona fide hits on his hands.

The most obvious contender is Sting's "She Walks This Earth," a new Lins composition that fits the ex-Policeman's vocals and persona so well, the track would be right at home on one of his own projects. Lush chord changes and a bright vibraphone add to the track's appeal and the end result is a Bossa Nova-tinged pop treasure. Smooth jazz radio will no doubt latch onto Vanessa Williams' "Love Dance," an adult contemporary hit-in-waiting if ever there was one: Williams' voice is in its usual smooth pop/soul glory, sax man Dave Koz offers up a killer solo, and the arrangement just begs for a candlelit dinner for two. Lisa Fischer and James "D-Train" Williams offer another potential hit in the soulful and rhythmic "You Moved Me to This."

Brenda Russell (one of Lins' frequent lyricists, here responsible for two tracks) steps in for a lovely vocal on "Nocturne," and jazz diva Dianne Reeves is (as usual) sheer perfection on the intoxicating "Sweet Presence." This isn't to say the project is a completely mellow affair, however. Chaka Khan offers up her usual fire on "So Crazy With This Love," a percussive midtempo funk workout that will no doubt thrill fans of the jazzy experiments Chaka has dabbled in over the years. Guitarist Peter White offers a more traditional-flavored "Elis," and the tight harmonies of New York Voices soar over the insistent samba of "Answered Prayers." Fittingly, Lins himself provides the finale, an infectiously spirited "Somos Todos Iquais Nesta Noite."

Producer Jason Miles reigns in every top-notch song and gifted artist with amazing ease, and the end result is an inspired tribute to an aspiring songwriter. Don't be a bit surprised if "Love Affair" starts exactly that between American radio and Ivan Lins.

Ivan Lins is hardly a household name in the US, despite a long and varied career in Brazil. A collaboration with a number of "big name" singers and musicians, this title may finally bring him some well-deserved recognition. I am not a big Sting fan, but his voice is perfect for "She Walks This Earth," a tune that (oddly enough) reminds me of The Police song "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic." Vanessa Williams, Brenda Russell, and Diane Reeves also manage to infuse their tracks with breathless passion. There are a couple tracks that are a little too "smooth jazz" for my tastes, but overall the disc is a really pleasant listen. Ivan Lins is an extremely talented composer, and the pairings on this disc shine.

This musical tribute to Ivan Lins is an absolute gem. Sting was made to sing 'She Walks This Earth' -- a must hear for all Sting fans! Other standouts include 'Answered Prayers' and 'You moved me to this.' The last track by Ivan Lins has led me to search for more of his music. Very smooth, classy music. Buy 2!

If I was to spend the rest of my life on an island and was told I could have only one cd, I would not hesitate to choose this cd. The rhythms, vocals and arraignments are so beautiful the listener will be carried away. This will remain a part of my collection always.

This album shows that music can be simply beautiful and gets better with time.

I would swear that everytime I listen to it, I like it more and more.

Plus, it will send you seeking out more of Ivan Lins work. I discovered this by accident and now wonder what other great music I am missing out on.

very smooth. If you like "Chillout" music, I would buy it. Also, if you like this type of music and you are a fan of Kenia, I would suggest that you also buy her cd PROJECT IVAN LINS. Many of the same songs on this cd are that one. She is oh, so cool! Unfortunately she is not recording anymore but you can still order her music from her homepage. Thank Goodnes. Just do a search on Google. Type: Kenia Mooka Records, and you will find ALL of her recordings for sale.

If you're like me & know absolutely nothing about Brazillian jazz (I bought this CD for the Sting track, really,) you're in for a treat! Each track is a must-listen. Vanessa William's "Love Dance", in particular, is so soulful & sensuous that it probably ought to have a warning label for minors. This would be a good disc to put on for background music for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, just to get things rolling. 'Nuff said ;-)

This recording is one of the best ways to remember the great Grover Washington, and to enjoy many others! There's greatness in Brazil, and let us follow! Hola!

This is a wonderful CD. The artists and producer all did a great job. BUT in addition to buying this, if you enjoy the melodies here, buy every single Ivan Lins CD you can get your hands on. Ivan has a real gift for making jazz oriented music connect with the listener. It is also a huge treat to hear him play and sing his own music. He often uses rhythms from various areas of Brasil and fuses them with his own contemporary arrangements. He sings, most of the time, in portuguese but the message and beauty of the music always come through...Uma coisa gostosa!!

This is a great CD! I bought it because of the one Sting track and found I liked just about all the tracks on the CD. As with any CD there are songs you usually skip over, the song on this CD I least liked was the one by Vanessa Williams. What I liked best about this CD is that it is enjoyable to listen to AND I discovered some artists I liked that I had not been familiar with before.