Customer Reviews

Samba Raro

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28-year-old Max de Castro is a terrific singer-songwriter-guitarist who is leading Brazilian music into a new age. He comes from a musical family--his brother, Wilson Simoninha released a CD entitled "Volume 2" in South America and his father, Wilson Simonal, is a well-known bossa nova singer (his stuff is available on Amazon). The title "Samba Raro" means what it sounds like: "Rare Samba." I had the opportunity to talk to Max De Castro on a recent trip to Brazil (I was attending the Rock in Rio megaconcert) and he told me that, on this album, he wanted to search out rare and out-of-print recordings, and examine the legacy of various musical greats, updating and adding to their work and presenting it to a new generation of listeners (the liner notes show Max shopping at used record stores). De Castro may be inspired by the past, but his work is original and sounds like the future. Each of the songs on the album is dedicated to a particular performer or group of performers--"Samba Raro", the title track, goes out to Jorge Benjor, a rhythm and samba guitarist-songwriter who was a pioneer in stylistic fusion. The song "Afrosamba" is dedicated to revered Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell. Each of the songs on this CD also represents a specific sonic hybrid--"Pra Voce Lembrar" is billed as "samba lounge"; "Ela Disse Assim..." is "drum 'n' bossa"; and "Rapadura" is "soul rap." De Castro can croon like Marvin Gaye, sway softly like Tom Jobim, and lay down phat hip-hop beats that Dr.Dre would envy. Samba, bossa nova, hip-hop, electronica and soul are all thrown into the mix. The songs are mostly midtempo, but the drum 'n' bass and hip-hop flourishes keep the pace moving along. De Castro wrote, produced and arranged the album--I've seen live footage of him, and he's very good in concert as well. I should add that De Castro is Brazilian and this Cd is in Portuguese--but, like a great foreign-language film, it doesn't matter if you can't speak the language, the art carries you away. If you can read Portuguese--or want to hear some samples off this album--De Castro has a cool, if confusing website that has lyrics, soundclips, a short video, and more.. This is an excellent album and certainly among the finest debuts in South America or North America in the last couple years.

Max de Castro brings a new freshness to traditional Brazilian music forms, by incorporating funky, soul, drum n bass elements. This is an exceptional piece of music, for people who like exciting music from every corner of the planet.

I first came across Max De Castro's music at the huge and chaotic Rock in Rio festival this past January. Although music was blaring at me from all directions (there were like 3 or 4 stages), the smooth sounds of Max De Castro drew me like a magnet. After the show, I ended up buying the CD, which blew me away. I had managed to find what I would describe as the best urban music CD I've heard in years. The fusion of hip hop, electronic, samba, and bossanova sounds flows perfectly on this album. Listening to this album is truly a unique experience.

By the way, I would also recommend similar artists such as Wilson Simoninha, Luciana Mello, Pedro Mariano, and Jairzinho. All of these artists appear on the same label that puts out Max De Castro: "Trama". The Sao Paulo-based Trama is starting a whole new movement in contemporary Brazilian music.

Max de Castro brings a new freshness to traditional Brazilian music forms, by incorporating funky, soul, drum n bass elements. This is an exceptional piece of music, for people who like exciting music from every corner of the planet.

I heard about Max de Castro on the summer of 2001, but because I was travelling I had not the opportunity to buy his cd. Well three weeks ago I was listening to my mp3's from that summer and I found there the music Samba Raro, and after listening again I ordered this cd right away. If you love a kind of music that you can not define, a kind of Bossa + Samba + Trip Hop + Hip hop, etc this is certainly the cd that you are looking for. So buy it, and enjoy it while thinking about the brazilian way of life....

Max de Castro is one of a kind. A very talented musician leading a group of other young and new artists to what is being called the "New Brazilian Sound". On this album, Max shows the routes to be followed, mixing the old-timers samba and bossa nova with new ideas. The first album out with this concept. A lot of good music yet to come. Also listen to his friends (see other reviews for details). You will only regret it if you don't.

I learned about Max de Castro through the issue of Time Magazine where they featured many international atrists. I think that Castro is one of the best talents aout there, combining samba, hip hop, bossa nova and other stuff. The texture is like the swetty beaches of Rio or something like that, a very unique combination. You wont regret buying this cd. I believe that young latin american musicians are on the rise, like Aterciopelados, Gustavo Crati, Julita Vengas ect... Because there is talent, honesty and profesionalisim intheyir work.