Customer Reviews

Obrigado Brazil: Live in Concert [includes Bonus DVD]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yo-yo Ma is one of the most interesting musicians working today. His eclectic tastes bring us fascinating music from around the globe, and his astonishing musicianship guarantees excellence in every new adventure. Recent CDs have seen him venturing to China via the Silk Road and to the Belle Epoque of France. His attention has also been focused on Latin America with a series of CDs-Soul of the Tango and the studio version of Obrigado Brazil. This CD is a live concert containing some tracks from those recordings but mostly new work in the same vein. Several of the pieces on the disc are by composer/performers who perform on the recording, such as Merengue by composer/clarinettist Paquito d'Rivera. Ma and Rivera are also joined by singer Rosa Passos, guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad, Ma's long time accompanist at the piano Kathryn Stott, and a bassist and percussionist.

Listen to one of my favorite tracks, the lovely Menino, and you wil hear that Ma brings real sensibility to this music. Occasionally his performance reveals that he isn't as familiar with the style as d'Rivera or the others--he tends, for example, not to bend pitches but approach them as his Classical training would have--but this is no significant flaw, as the qualities of line and rhythm he does bring to the music compensate. Based on the reviews here at Amazon.com, some will surely complain that Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert isn't truly Brazilian music, that it's perhaps over-refined. Certainly if authentic folk music is what listeners are after, they won't find it here-it's not even all Brazilian! But they will find wonderful music, played with love and joy by superb musicians. This is just simply a terrific CD, and with a bonus DVD containing music videos of some material not on the CD, it's even better value! In fact, one of those non-Brazilian works, Libertango, by the Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla is a real highlight of the recording.

Those of you who already own the studio version of Obrigado Brazil will find a little overlap-4 pieces are repeated on this disc, and there is also some overlap from Soul of the Tango. The liner notes claim that the energy of a live performance makes those works sound totally different here, but I can't agree. There are subtle variations, to be sure-for example one of the pieces has much more percussion in the studio version, and even the ambience of the studio recording is audibly different from the live concert-but these aren't wild distinctions and certainly not necessarily improvements. The energy of a live concert may well be counterbalanced by the control of a studio version. It's surely a matter of taste. Personally I usually prefer studio recordings to live. Here, though, the biggest difference is not in the comparisons of the pieces that are on both CDs, but on the contrasting approaches of the overall programme. The studio version of Obgriado Brazil is more introspective and melancholy; the concert recording has more fast, joyful works. In this case, I prefer the concert material and only mourn the loss of the joyous exhuberance of the penultimate track, Brasileirinho, and the very odd final track, Salvador, with its wild improvisation. But the live concert gives us Paquito d'Rivera's composition Afro--practically a miniature tone painting that approaches Salvador in its uniqueness.

And the compositions of one of Brazil's most well-known composers and the father of the Bossa Nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim, certainly bear mention. The two Jobim works feature the singing of Rosa Passos, whose lanquid voice perfectly captures the feel of the pieces. Regardless of what it is not, Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert will almost certainly bring you pleasure if you'll give it a chance.

Yo Yo Ma and his fellow musicians make beautiful music in this mellow adaptation of melodies that have their origin in Latin America.
The opening track is a version of "Libertango", heard in the fabulous soundtrack of the film "The Tango Lesson", and one of the three compositions by Astor Piazzolla, in this concert that was recorded live at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall in 2003. The group of assorted and marvelous musicians toured the world with this music, and there is a cohesion between the performers and the material they are playing that is evident, and a pleasure to hear. One hears the applause, but it is not obtrusive, and the sound is excellent for a live recording.

Very impressive is the clarinet of 6 time Grammy Award winner and composer Paquito D'Rivera, who wrote 3 of the tracks, and shows his virtuosity and Cuban soul in 7 pieces, and I especially like his "Merengue".
Rosa Passos sings and plays guitar on 4 tracks, and has a soft, clear, and pleasing voice, and 3 of the songs she interprets so well are by her fellow countryman and Brazilian bossa nova artist Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Other musicians are Sergio and Odair Assad on guitars, Kathryn Scott on piano, Nilson Matta on bass, and Cyro Baptista on percussion. Yo Yo Ma is of course the household name among them, and is masterful in his interpretations throughout; I especially like him in D'Rivera's "Afro", a fascinating piece with some experimental sounds.
Other favorites for me are D'Rivera's "Wapango", and "Cristal" (Camargo Mariano), a rhythmic duet between Ma and Scott that is terrific.
This CD has the feel of a classical chamber concert, with the warmth of melodious Latin compositions, and is a nice and unique musical treat.
The foldout insert has liner notes by D'Rivera, recording info, and mini bios of Ma's 7 fellow musicians; total playing time is 72'07.

This package contains a bonus DVD, that includes 3 videos:
1. Piazzolla's "Libertango", from the original soundtrack of Sally Potter's film "The Tango Lesson", with clips of the great tango dancer Pablo Veron.
2. "Brasileirinho", by Waldir Azevedo, featuring Paquito D'Rivera, from the "Obrigado Brazil" CD.
3. Jobim's "Chega de Saudage" interpreted by Rosa Passos, from the "Obrigado Brazil" CD.
It also includes a very short interview with Yo Yo Ma.

I agree with most of what Dr. Christopher Coleman wrote in his March 4, 2004, review. My view, however, is that this live CD is clearly preferable to the studio version, which, by contrast, is relatively sterile-sounding. The live CD is perhaps the best-sounding CD (i.e., as to recording-quality in itself) that I have heard from Sony. And the music is quite infectious. Very nice.

I was in Tower and saw this in one of their kiosks and gave it a listen as I had just recently been watching my Appalachian Journey DVD that Yo Yo Ma had recorded before. This one was as good , maybe better. I was just blown away how great the music sounded when I had no previous reference to any of the music on this disc. The combination of the clarinet, not my favorite instrument , on two tracks with the Cello sounded so fresh and detailed that I was bowled over (Libertango and Merengue) I was so impressed that I bought the disc right there , full price and everthing. Not something that I ever do anymore.

I bought the disk after hearing about the colaboration on NPR. The songs and performances are impecable, the variety is satisfying and fun. My only complaint is that the quality of the recording leaves something to be desired. Several times the recording level is not balanced between the instruments so that when listening to YoYo Ma playing, when joined by the saxaphone, it comes in too loud and ruins the mood.

I almost always prefer the live perfomances when the energy of the audience carries over to the performers. This is one case when I wish I had gotten the studio version.

I love Yoyo Ma, and have grown in my love for his work with Tango music, and was super excited to get this product for my birthday, and finally once the kids were in bed, I pulled it out of the CD player, went to the TV, and learned that I could also listen to it on the TV, but

THERE WAS NO DVD OR DVD MATERIAL. Nice job Sony, sending out to your fans and customers a CD disguised as a DVD. The music is the only way this product didn't get only one star. But, I'm not rating Yoyo Ma or the works of Piazzolla, just the sad trick.

Fantastic job. A real and great classic music player, playing with very popular Brazilian Music. A rare combination of talent and swing.

This is suberbly enhanced performance CD that captures Yo-Yo Ma and friends at their musical heights. The accompanying musicians, the Assasds, Paquito you-know-who, Kathyrn Stott and others add beautiful textures to the compositions of Piazzolla and Jobim to create a Latin influenced classical painting. This is music to play, go about your business at home and enjoy the different influences coming together. The sadness and happiness blend to reveal the emotions of life. Favorite songs include D'Rivera's "Afro" that sneaks up on you like breaking dawn to reveal the sunshine and life anew. Also Piazzolla's "Tango Suite" is a frenzied Yo-Yo Ma performance with suttle breaks on cello giving way to the Assadd's beautiful quite work on guitars to spike and peak your interest numerous times.This is good background music but it grabs your attention and makes you listen carefully so it can turn on you and be very demanding. Good for those quite times of work or reading.

Keep in mind that The studio version of this performance is nothing short of brilliant. The material includes pieces from the likes of Astor Piazzolla, Jobim and Paquito D'Rivera. Then you come to discover that there is a live concert version (and Dvd) of the disc. There is nothing like having your cake and your ice cream in the same bowl. Well that is what the release of this disc is, Cake and Ice cream with the cherry on the top.

Peace:
The*Hot*Wax*Kid

It's not a bad quality CD but the music is variable and different. Even though I like most types of music, I think the composition is just average.