Cibelle "Cibelle" (Six Degrees/Ziriguiboom, 2003)
Mellow soul-electronica vocals with rich, multi-textured arrangements courtesy of producer Apollo 9 (known for his work on the Caipirissima collection). Cibelle, who previously worked with the Yugoslavian expatriate Suba, emerges here as a singer of note: her silken tones dance gently inside the rhythms, while the music itself is imaginative and engaging, a cut above the usual club mix murk. This is soft stuff, unapologetically easy listening, but quite lovely all the same, with contributions by old-timers such as singer Johnny Alf, samba-funkster Joao Parahyba (of the '70s soul band, Trio Mocoto), and a slew of younger Sao Paulo club kids. If you're in search of a pretty-sounding, alluring set to lower your blood pressure by, this dreamy disc may be be for you!
Cibelle "The Shine Of Dried Electric Leaves" (Six Degrees/Ziriguiboom, 2006)
Cibelle "About A Girl" (EP) (Six Degrees/Ziriguiboom, 2007)
Cibelle "Green Grass" (EP) (Six Degrees/Ziriguiboom, 2007)
Cibelle "White Hair" (EP) (Six Degrees/Ziriguiboom, 2008)
Cidade Negra "Lute Para Viver" (Sony, 1991)
The first album by the soul-reggae band Cidade Negra, who hail from the Baixada Fluminense region, in the state of Rio De Janeiro...
Cidade Negra "Negro No Poder" (Sony-Epic, 1992)
(Produced by Nelson Meirelles)
Many fans rate this as Cidade Negra's best album... It was the last recorded with the original lead singer, Ras Bernardo, and features a more straightforward, traditional reggae sound (lover's reggae with dancehall and dub in the mix as well...) This is fairly unique for the absence of indigenous Brazilian influences, although it does include a reggaed-up cover version of Jorge Ben's "Zumbi" and rocker Raul Seixas' "Mosca Na Sopa" ("Fly In The Soup"). It's a pretty solid set, and though it has pop overtones, it's far less poppy than the albums that would follow. Worth checking out!
Cidade Negra "O Ere" (Epic, 1996)
Good-natured, Ziggy Marley-esque samba-reggae. This is a little too slick and mainstream to hold my attention the whole album through, but it's certainly not unpleasant. Includes a cover version of Jorge Ben's "Negro e Lindo," though, honestly, it sounds a lot like all the other tunes on here.
Cidade Negra "Sobre Todas As Forcas" (Epic, 1998)
(Produced by Liminha)
More poppy, Brazillified reggae from Toni Garrido and his crew. This is pleasant, slick pop material, produced by Liminha with an ear to unchallenging melody and rhythms galore. Shabba Ranks guests on one track, and early on the album features a Portuguese-language cover of Jimmy Cliff's "I Shot The Sheriff," just so we all know that these fellas have their bases covered. This doesn't totally blow me away, but it's nice & anyone interested in the internationalization of reggae will want to check it out.
Cidade Negra "Quanto Mais Curtido Melhor" (Sony-Epic, 1998)
Cidade Negra "Enquanto O Mundo Gira" (Sony-Epic, 2000)
Cidade Negra "Acustico MTV" (Sony-Epic, 2002)
Cidade Negra "Perto De Deus" (Sony-BMG, 2004)
Cidade Negra "Direto -- Ao Vivo: 2006" (Sony-BMG, 2006)
Cidinho "Muito Suingue" (Phillips, 1980)
Soft-centered pop-funk, with a restrained jazz fusion influence... Not surprising since composer Sergio Paulo Valle co-wrote most of this material... The backbeats bring Tim Maia's funk to mind; the warm vocals (and shrill female chorus) conjure up Jorge Ben's work, and the rolling piano adds a whiff of glossy, lounge-y jazz, as well as a fair dose of Cuban-style salsa. It's slick, but not bad; not bad at all. Eliana Pittman guests on one track, "Amor Proibido," Luiz Vagner and Maria Vera each appear on several other songs. (See also: Cidinho Texeira)
Cilibrinas Do Eden "Cilibrinas Do Eden" (Philips, 1973)
A stunning psychedelic-rock reissue from the vaults of the Brazilian tropicalia scene... This is cool acid rock album from Rita Lee, of the band Os Mutantes, singing here with her friend Lucia Turnbull and (as was common in her early solo career) some help from her buddies in the Mutantes bands. Turnbull is a cipher to me -- outside of this album, I know very little about her -- but this album is a real dazzler, one of Lee's grittiest and most impressive rock records, better than pretty much anything she did with her '70s solo band, Tutti Frutti. It features Brazilian cult classics like "Ainda Bem (Bad Trip)" and some of the wickedest electric guitar work of her career. This album was built around an electrifying performance at the 7th International Song Festival, in 1972 -- a live concert single (also included here) led to a studio recording, all of which is pretty striking. The album's original liner notes make nods towards Alice Cooper and the subversive hard rock of the era, and unlike the 1970s Mutantes and Tutti Frutti albums, this disc doesn't tilt as heavily towards a commercialized, stadium-rock sound, sticking instead to the more piercing, disturbing end of the glam/hard-rock/psychedelic spectrum. It's pretty cool, if not entirely the kind of record you'd want to relax to at home. If you can track it down, this is definitely worth snapping up.
Os Cinco Crioulos "Samba... No Duro" (Odeon, 1967)
Simple and simply irresistible acoustic sambas, with a quintet that features Nelson Sargento, Elton Medeiros, Jair do Cavaquinho, Mauro Duarte and Nescarzinho do Salgueiro, some of the most talented samba revivalists of the post-bossa era. The percussion is catchy, the melodies sweet, the vocal coros is only a few voices in harmony (as opposed to the large group chorus that became part of the '70s pagode style), and the songs are all great. This one's a keeper.
Os Cinco Crioulos "Samba No Duro, v.2" (Odeon, 1968)
Pure gold. If anything, the group had improved upon its sound by this second album... Dominated by lively cavaquinho riffs and an overall ebullience, this disc is a real gem. Highly recommended!
Os Cinco Crioulos "Series Do Raizes" (EMI, 2000)
A compilation of this fine acoustic samba band's early work, including plenty of material from the Samba... No Duro album. Sweet stuff -- recommended!
Leonardo Cioglia "Early Years" (Quizamba Music, 1995)
Leonardo Cioglia "Bean Oil In A Pot" (Quizamba Music, 1999)
Leonardo Cioglia "Contos" (Quizamba Music, 2008)
Swank, mellow, self-produced jazz from bassist Leonardo Cioglia, a Brazilian-born expatriate now living in New York... I don't hear as much of a Brazilian influence on this disc, but it's pretty solid for fans of "smooth jazz" -- strong, confident playing throughout. It's not totally my cup of tea, but it's quite good for the genre.
Claudia "Jesus Cristo" (EMI, 1971)
Claudia "Claudia Voce Claudia" (EMI, 1971)
Claudia "Passaro Emigrante" (Epic, 1979)
A glossy, modern set, with strong jazz-fusion overtones, ala Flora Purim or Tania Maria. Not really my cup of tea. Indeed, I find it a bit torturous, although the slower numbers, like "Ta-Lento" or "Ascensao" are okay. Anything on here with electric guitar, though, is just awful.
Claudia "Grandes Vozes" (Som Livre, 2007)
Luiz Claudio "Entre Nos" (Musidisc, 1966)
Luiz Claudio "Intimidade" (EMI-Odeon, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Lyrio Panicalli; arrangements by Antonio Adolfo)
A pleasant third-tier bossa-samba cancao vocals set from singer-guitarist Luiz Claudio, a veteran of the 1950s "radio singer" era, when he sang with the vocal group Trovadores Do Luar. This features solid yet sprightly arrangements courtesy of MPB-jazz pianist Antonio Adolfo, as well as by Francs Hime and Paulo Moura. Not earth-shaking or epochal, but sweet stuff nonetheless. Includes a guest appearance from the Quinteto Villa-Lobos, backing Claudio on a couple of tracks.
Luiz Claudio "Cantigas" (EMI-Odeon, 1973) (LP)
A slightly gooey later album in which Claudio lets go of his bossa nova leanings in favor of a softer ballad style more in line with Johnny Alf or Milton Nascimento; he also delves into the regional music of Minas Gerais, covering several songs from the area, along with a few northern-tinged songs from national composers such as Vinicius De Moraes and Tom Jobim. I thought this was kinda snoozy, but fans of the Odeon label's "blue" sound might like it... The opening track, "Amo-Te Muito," features the female MPB singer Luiza, who provides a sweet harmony vocal.
Clube Do Balanco "Samba Incrementado" (Spin Music/MCD, 2004)
Clube Do Balanco "Swing & Samba-Rock" (Spin Music/MCD, 2005)
This one was recommended to me by a reader... and it's pretty cool! This Sao Paulo-based ensemble pays homage to the smooth Brazilian soul-samba sound of the 1970s, picking up where artists such as Jorge Ben, Banda Black Rio and Tim Maia left off. And they get the style completely right: this is smooth, mellow party music, perfect for a relaxing evening on a steamy, summery dancefloor. The grooves are sweet, the rhythm is gentle but persistent, and the vibe is just right. Plus, they are amazingly well-connected: guest performers include Brazilian pop and funk icons such as samba-funkster Bebetos and Marku Ribas, jovem guarda legend Erasmo Carlos, Seu Jorge and a host of younger soul-funk-triphoppers like Max De Castro, Paula Lima and Wilson Simoninha, each seamlessly mixed into the band's groovy party vibe. If this sounds like it's up your alley, trust your instincts: it's really quite good!
