Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure

Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series, Various Artists - Intl. - So. & Central America - Brazil/Bossa Nova/Samba | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 15, 1996)
• Original Release Date: October 15, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Antilles/Verve
• ASIN: B000004750
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,659 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #19 in Music > World Music > Latin Music > Brazilian > Afro Brazilian
  • #35 in Music > Latin Music > Urban > Latin Electronica
  • #76 in Music > World Music > Reggae > Dub

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eclectic, fun, different -- worth a try, December 1, 2001

By 

Jennifer Stevens (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure (Audio CD)

I got this CD on a whim a few years ago, and it's now one of my favorites. Like another reviewer said, I had to listen to it a few times before it grew on me. But that doesn't mean it's bad; that just speaks of its uniqueness. What "Red, Hot & Rio" offers is not something I'd ever heard before, or since, really.

There are several reasons I like this CD. For one, the proceeds go to benefit AIDS awareness efforts. Second, this is good "background" music -- even when upbeat it allows you to hold a conversation and not get distracted by the music. But the coolest thing is the selection of music itself.

"Red, Hot & Rio" contains almost a mini-evolution of Brazilian music. It starts out mellow and somewhat traditional. The sound of the bossa nova "Desafinado," for instance, is quite laid-back and timeless. But gradually, the music begins to rev up, as current performers experiment with classic sounds. Some techno beats are thrown in, some modern hooks, lots of interesting drums and percussion, even some rap. The end of the CD sounds completely different from the beginning of it -- almost like you've just gone through 40 years of Brazilian music on one CD.

I can't honestly say I love all the songs; I tend to favor the first half of the CD over the second, save a couple of songs (such as "Refazenda"). But that's the beauty of CDs: You simply skip over those songs you don't care for.

Of course, people who like the "original" bossa nova or samba sounds will be disappointed. They don't want the music to have changed and evolved, but to remain exactly the same as it was 40+ years ago. (Ironically, samba enthusiasts felt the same way about the bossa nova movement in the 1950s.) But that's what I love about this CD. It pushes the limits of this style of music. The core of all the songs is the same, just the techniques and deliveries have changed. That's what makes it interesting.

People who have records of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Gilberto Gil and expect this to sound like more of the same should stay away from this CD. People who are open-minded to experimentation with a classic style of music would be more likely to embrace it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Jobim Fans, July 15, 2002

By 

Peter John Hill "Peter" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure (Audio CD)

If you like Bossa Nova, particularly Antonio Carlos Jobim, you will love this CD. It has covers by many current artists of his songs, as well as some other Brazilian music. I like how the liner has the lyrics in English, but almost all the songs are in Portuguese. The David Byrne Waters of March in an exception, where he sings in English, and a woman is singing in Portuguese, but it works out very well.

An excellent addition. I have most of the songs on the album on at least two other CDs, but the artists have played with the songs enough to complement the originals.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is Pure Listening Pleasure..., May 31, 2000

By 

JCB (I Love Seattle!) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure (Audio CD)

RED HOT + RIO is by far one of the best compilations out there. The album is an eclectic mix of Brazillian-influenced music (Samba, Porteguese, African, and Indigenous beats, ryhthms, and melodies). It doesn't matter if you don't know Porteguese, you'll find yourself humming a long, perhaps even dancing to the provocative and beautiful songs. I must have listened to this album through hundreds of times...it's perfect for long drives or as background music for dinner parties. The duets on this album are particularly strong; Astrud Gilberto and George Michael's duet and David Bryne and Marisa Monte's duet are very inspiring, sensuous, and beautiful. Overall, though, this album is a must have for anyone's collection. You'll certainly keep pressing repeat on this album.