Monica Salmaso Iaia

Iaia
(2004)

Considered by the critics and musicians to be the most representative voice of the new generation of popular music, Monica Salmaso, from São Paulo, continues her impeccable discography with the CD, Iaiá, her first recording with Biscoito Fino and her fourth CD. “Iaiá is a great coming together—of the musicians and composers, of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro—in a free way, sometimes simple, sometimes complex. Many songs were recorded live in the studio, and this makes this CD the most organic and most alive,” says Mônica.

The release of Iaiá comes out at a special moment in her career. “First, because this CD is my first one on the new label; second, because I haven´t recorded for four years, since I was doing shows outside of Brazil. I don´t know exactly how big my public is. I did a lot of shows sung with other people, and my work grew slowly. I think this CD could show a little of the size of the public I have up to now”.  Mônica has a sweet, penetrating voice with a unique and rare tone, and has the power to transform her interpretations into classics — a quality of great singers. She has a notable capacity to move easily from the erudite to the popular and not be limited to the label of a singer of only one genre.

In Iaiá, Mônica pays homage to Clementina de Jesus, with the song, Moro na Roça and most of the songs on the CD were taken from the repertoire of the project, Ponto in Comum, which she produced at SESC-SP in 2002 and 2003. “There were eight different shows, all with invited artists and with a repertoire based on the work of these artists. In these encounters, I learned an incredible amount of music from the preparations until the final show”. The new CD has a part with the musician, Rodolfo Stroeter, producer and musical co-director of the recording, with whom Mônica does four takes (Trampolim, Voadeira, Nem um Aí and Iaiá). “We work very well together. I think we see Brazil in a similar way and easily understand what each other is thinking about the work. It is very easy to work when there is such musical and creative affinity”.

In the repertoire, there are composers of different times, styles and regions, such as Dorival Caymmi, Maurício Carrilho, Paulo César Pinheiro, Jair do Cavaquinho, Xangô da Mangueira, Zagaia, Silvio Caldas, De Chocolat, Carusinho, Rodolfo Stroeter, Joyce, Vanessa da Mata, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, José Miguel Wisnik, Chico Buarque and Tom Zé. And Mônica chose some of the best and most admired musicians to accompany her. They are Paulo Bellinati, Robertinho Silva, Benjamim Taubkin, Rodolfo Stroeter, Toninho Ferragutti, Ari Colares, Teco Cardoso, Lui Coimbra, Caíto Marcondes, André Mehmari, Luca Raele and the quintet, Sujeito a Guincho, Maurício Carrilho, Luciana Rabello, Pedo Amorim, Jorginho do Pandeiro and Nailor Proveta Azevedo. “Singing with different musicians with different backgrounds is a characteristic of my career. It is how I learn and have fun.”--Biscoito Fino

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