Night Dreamer Direct-To-Disc Sessions

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Seu Jorge is well known for his covers of David Bowie songs for the now-cult Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, but we are less familiar with Rogê, another Carioca singer, the artist behind seven albums and an expert in samba-funk. Friends for 25 years, the two had never recorded anything together until August 2019 when they made this album in a Dutch studio, with rather unique conditions: recorded in two days with one live take, it was recorded directly on vinyl, without any post-production. This is the concept and mission statement of the London/Haarlem label Night Dreamer and all their direct-to-disc recordings. And when the skill is mastered, it’s marvellous. It’s as if Seu Jorge and Rogê were playing these seven tracks one summer’s evening, on an oceanside veranda. The mood is relaxed, the guitars play softly alongside some light percussion, and the two voices (one very deep and one slightly higher) interlock with perfect harmony, producing a feeling of simplicity and intimacy that is rarely heard on recordings. This is music to celebrate friendship, made more brilliant by the lack of production and commercial intentions. Seu Jorge and Rogê play as the artisan creators of samba-bossa would have done over 60 years ago, before this music became a worldwide phenomenon and in some places, slightly cliché. Touched by the beauty of the moment, this album is a wonderful massage for the eardrums and a sure classic of Brazilian music. © Stéphane Deschamps/Qobuz