Canta Vinicius de Moraes e Paolo César Pinheiro

Album review

Only 38-minutes long, Canta Vinicius De Moraes e Paolo Cesar Pinheiro is one of the truly great Baden Powell recordings. Long before alcoholism took its toll on the great guitarist and composer, he recorded this set in 1977 for the Festival label at the behest (read: strongarm tactics) of Jacques Lubin, his A&R man at Barclay, as a tribute to the two great lyricists and collaborations in his life. This CD issue was released by the jazz label Sunnyside, and licensed from Universal International. Powell is supported on this program buy a small group of truly sympathetic studio musicians who held him in awe. His small, tender, but deeply moving voice on such classics as "Labaréda," and "Samba de Bênção" -- both of which are based on the chants, rhythms, and melodies of the Afro-Brazilian Candoble religion -- that holds the magic. On the gorgeous and dreamy "Cavalo Marinho," in which Raymond Guiot's flute gently invokes the lyric of "Fly Me to the Moon," from Powell's melody in the intro, Powell's voice gently swoons, as if singing to a lover in the wee hours of morning. There is a sadness in it too; one that holds its place even in the most expressively romantic passages. All of these were written with Vinicius De Moraes, a man far more educated and cultured in the European sense; he was also from a wealthy class and was economically secure. It was the deep knowledge of Brazilian song and rhythmic traditions that Powell brought to his poetic lyrics and which made the tunes they wrote together work so well. The lyrics written by Paulo César Pinheiro are less elegant, but more directly expressively "folk." They have an authority about them in that they speak from the working classes and to them. Check the wild and celebratory "É de Lei," or the taut, seductive carnival march of "Cancioneiro," and the slow, steamy "Faleie Disse," where the ache in Powell's voice tells you everything you need to know about the lyrics. This is a wonderful album by Powell, one of his very best, recorded at an artistic peak. That it is available at all in America is a wonder. It should not be missed.

© Thom Jurek /TiVo