Gal Costa

This strikingly lovely album was originally recorded in 2003, when the great Brazilian singer Gal Costa was preparing for a gala outdoor concert that was expected to take place in Rio de Janeiro; unfortunately, the funding fell through and the concert never took place. What emerged from the ashes of that disappointment was this studio album, on which Costa looks back on the music of her childhood in the 1940s and '50s -- Brazilian music that predates the bossa nova era. These are songs written by artists who are legends in Brazil but are far less famous outside of their native land: Dorival Caymmi, Evaldo Gouveia, Dolores Duran, and others. Wisely, Costa and her arrangers refrained from trying to replicate the exact sounds of the older recordings, and instead have created modern but respectful new arrangements that prominently feature strings as well as electric instruments, accordion, and winds. Costa was approaching her seventh decade as she made these recordings, but she sings with the voice of someone less than half her age -- her pitch is secure, and her voice is alternately clear and ringing and smoky and sultry depending on the needs of the song. Particular highlights include an especially lovely arrangement of "Kalu," a baião written by Humberto Teixeira, and an Ary Barroso samba titled "Pra Machucar Meu Coração," but everything on this album is of the highest quality. Very highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide