Vinicius Cantuaria
Silva
(2005)
Bossa nova, jazz and tasteful yet understated electronica meet on Silva,
award-winning Brazilian singer/songwriter Vinicius Cantuária's new album - a
record that draws on the eclectic heritage of Brazilian music and takes it to a
new, more complex territory where the old and new mix with effortless style and
ease. Recorded in New York and Brazil, Silva features Vinicius accompanied by
renowned trumpet player Michael Leonhart, the acclaimed Bessler String Quartet
from Brazil, and Brazilian percussionists Sidinho and Chacal who have both
toured extensively with Paul Simon. Also featured is Japanese musician-composer
Jun Miyake.
--album description
Horse & Fish [ENHANCED]
(2004)
Those who love the quiet jazzy groove of bossa nova and the delicate voice of
Caetano Veloso probably know about Vinicius Cantuária. A Brazilian songwriter
who has written hits for Veloso and other countrymen, Cantuária's own music
favors spare but by no means safe bossa nova-based arrangements that gently push
at the music's edges without making a stink about it. Like the classics, nothing
is rushed; there is no shouting. Here there is the whispered voice, gentle
percussion, swingin' guitar, bass and a few other bits of sound filigree that
float in and out. While recent efforts have an arty electronic sheen on the
surface, Horse and Fish is almost all acoustic, the notable exception
being Cantuária's airy Bill Frisell-like electric guitar tone on some material.
Highlights include the gutsy remake of Gilberto Gil's "Procissao," the upbeat
"Cubanos Postizos" and "Look The Sky." This one will creep inside you with the
subtlety of osmosis. –-Tad Hendrickson
Live: Skirball Center 8/7/03 [LIVE]
(two CDs, 2003)
With his first release on Kufala Recordings Vinicius
treats fans to his amazing live performances. Recorded on a beautiful August
night in the hills of Los Angeles at the Skirball Cultural Center Vinicius opens
with a haunting almost psychedelic version of "Procissăo" which has the power to
draw you in until the encore. He artfully orchestrates in "Rio", a collaboration
with David Byrne and gets the crowd dancing in their seats. From beginning to
end this album captivates listeners and leaves them satisfied. --album description
Sol Na Cara
(1997)
A Brazilian expatriate living in Brooklyn, former rock star and hit songwriter Vinicius Cantuária recorded six records in his native land prior to teaming up with producer Arto Lindsay and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto for his first American album. Cantuária always claims that moving to New York actually made him become more Brazilian. Indeed, the deep and understated Sol na Cara ("The Sun on Your Face") consists mostly of subtle bossa nova melodies (often cowritten with Caetano Veloso, Sakamoto, and others) set to the undulating folk rhythms of northern Brazil. While Cantuária's lyrics, soft voice, and nylon-stringed acoustic-guitar playing signify unabashed romanticism (even when he's singing about his favorite soccer players), Sakamoto's atmospheric keyboards lend an air of almost otherworldly cosmopolitanism to a 1996 album that seems to have aged like a fine wine. --Richard Gehr
Also See:
World Music at Culture
Planet
World Music Store
Cirque Du Soleil Soundtrack CDs
Buddha
Bar World Music Collections