Bebel Gilberto

A New Brazilian Singer With A Global Following;
The Daughter Of João Gilberto and Miucha

Brazilian Music

Momento
(2007)

Bebel Gilberto Remixed
(2005)

Daughter of original Bossa Nova legends Joao Gilberto and Miucha, niece of the great singer-songwriter Chico Burque, Bebel Gilberto's talents have proven more than worthy of her exalted descent. She has not only helped to revitalize modern Brazilian music but has established it as a major force on the world stage. But are these 13 remixes worthy of her? The answer is a qualified yes. The whole point of this type of exercise is to reveal new facets of an existing track by inviting another artist to collaborate on it--after the fact. Everyone involved with these re-workings displays considerable taste and restraint; thus any negative impressions would have to be completely subjective. The originals were produced by Marius de Vries and were comparatively pop-oriented anyway. Gently-imposed beats and touches of chilly electronica do not freeze the singer's digital hothouse bloom but add an additional dimension. Some tunes, such as Céu Distante, even emerge embellished with a surprisingly genteel, retro finesse. --Christina Roden

Bebel Gilberto
(2004)

With the release of her debut Tanto Tempo in 2000, the Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto and the late DJ Suba and redefined the bossa nova sound. Her sophomore effort, produced by Marius de Vries, the soundmeister behind Madonna, Annie Lennox and Bjork, was recorded in Rio, Bahia, London and New York. Gilberto's cool contralto sings sweetly over synths, strings, percussion acoustic piano and horns. Daniel Jobim and Pedro Baby contributed compositions. Caetano Veloso's "Baby" features lyrics by Os Mutantes, and Carlinhos Brown's candomblé-cadenced, "Aganju" swings with a nod to Africa. Bebel's hushed vocals reveal the influences of her father, the legendary Joao Gilberto, and of her mother Miucha on the electro-bossa beats of "Winter." Ditto the ocean-breezed "O Caminho," with jazzy orchestrations and pianisms provided by Joao Donato. This disc aims for the ear rather than the hips, but don't be surprised if future remixes could flip that sonic script. --Eugene Holley, Jr. (Amazon.com)

De Tarde, Vendo O Mar
with Luizo Maia
(2002)

The smash success of Bebel Gilberto's turn-of-the-century hit Tanto Tempo would lead many to believe that she was an overnight success. But this recording, released in Japan in 1991 and available now for the first time in the U.S., highlights her smooth, Sade-like sound. Joined by the legendary Brazilian bassist Luisão Maia, this project puts Gilberto's cool contralto in more traditional bossa-nova-style settings with synthesized string arrangements. The result is a snappy, Creed Taylor-sounding CD. The best selections are the title track, the "One Note Samba" syncopated composition "Amor Unilateral," and "Quando o Ceu Nao Estava Azul," which includes a silky Stan Getz-style tenor sax solo. Think of this recording as Bebel Gilberto's syncopated first draft. --Eugene Holley, Jr. (Amazon.com)

Tanto Tempo Remixes
(2001)

Bebel Gilberto's acclaimed album Tanto Tempo is the source for this collection of remixes – ranging from downtempo to danceable – by some of today's most groundbreaking producers, including Peter Kruder (of Kruder & Dorfmeister), Trüby Trio, Rae & Christian, King Britt, Faze Action, 4hero and more.
--Amazon.com description

Tanto Tempo
(2000)

Daughter of the famed Brazilian pop and bossa nova singer Joao Gilberto, Bebel recalls her father's own classic recordings on Tanto Tempo, with a sure sense of pitch. Bebel Gilberto is hardly less charming for that, though, and the album entices with hushed passion. Relying mostly on acoustic instruments and some muted orchestrations, Tanto Tempo is nonetheless smartly paced to allow for some tasteful dance-club electronics to augment a few tracks, and ends on a celebratory note with "Close Your Eyes"--all but an invitation to Carnival. The current trend for things Brazilian should assure this disc a deservedly wide audience. Licensing it for the U.S. is another minor triumph for the fine San Francisco-based label Six Degrees.
--Rickey Wright (Amazon.com)
 

Bebel Gilberto Links
Bebel Gilberto Home Page

Also See:
Nova Bossa Nova

Suba

Brazilian Music Index