Customer Reviews

Putumayo Presents: Afro-Portuguese Odyssey

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
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This is truly a lovely collection of lesser-known music and musicians from Africa. Most African collections seem to focus on French-speaking Africa or South Africa, and while there are similarities in this CD to some styles in those areas of Africa, these are unique. If you are familiar with traditional Portuguese music from Portugal, not Brazil, you may be surprised to recognize common threads in some of these selections. Interesting and informative liner notes also include individual photos of each artist. Wonderful beat - my kids dance to it!

Portuguese-speaking Lusophone culture is best known globally through the music of Brazil, although this collection traces its lesser-known African crosscurrents, with music from Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and contemporary Portugal. Featured artists include Ze Manel, Jovino Dos Santos, Dulce Pontes, the Mendes Brothers, and Paulo Flores, whose individual albums can also be tracked down if you are diligent. The opening tracks are a bit florid for my tastes, but the simpler acoustic numbers, by folks like Ruy Mingas, Maneas Costa and Agusto Cegos, are quite lovely. A good introductory overview, although there are other albums, such as the SOUL OF CAPE VERDE collection that may move you more. But this disc may be of special interest for anyone seeking artists a bit off the beaten track.

I wanted to branch out and experience different types of music so I randomly seleceted this CD - if only all my other random selections of music turned out to be this fabulous! I play it all the time and have been inspired to try Putumayo's other CDs - so far this one is the best. The Afro-Portuguese Odyssey is a wonderful collection that I love to have on during dinner with company and it always gets a lot of attention.

I feel the same about this CD as I do about Putumayo's Cape Verde.. they are both WONDERFUL! I have TONS of world music and Putumayo, but as far as I am concerned, these are the two BEST! The Portuguese and African mixture of exotic rhythms, guitars, and primitive instruments creates a totally unique, celebratory music that has me dancing around the house and playing them OVER and OVER! They get better and better with each play. I don't know how I could have ever lived so long without ever hearing this before. I've GOT to visit Cape Verde and some of the other places listed.

I won't be the first person to rate a CD by how many cuts are worthy of being included on a home-made "best of" compilation, but it seems a reasonable measure to use. Of the 12 cuts, I find an impressive 8 to be exceptionally good (and already on my comp CDs), and 3 to be only very good! This is not only very accessible and enjoyable music, it's very good music. Perhaps Putumayo's best, and that's saying something. If you like it, I'd also recommend Putumayo's Cape Verde and, different but worth a try, French Caribbean.