ROSALIA DE SOUZA

Garota Moderna Leeds / Avatar

It's four years since Bebel Gilberto rode her talent, good looks and royal lineage to stardom with Tanto Tempo. More than any other CD, Tanto heralded the return of bossa nova to the world stage. Today, bossa's influence reaches across the globe, from New York to Tokyo, from Rio to Berlin. Those who do it best are savvy to its urbane, internationalist character: it's the jet setter of musical forms. Amongst the jet setting musicians who produce it, Italy's Nicola Conte is one of the elite. Conte is a classically trained musician / DJ / producer who blends bossa with elements of jazz and breezy pop, to create a sound that recalls 1960s Cinecittà.
In recent years Conte has collaborated with Brazilian native Rosalia de Souza on several singles, and recently they reunited to record de Souza's debut album, Garota Moderna. The result is the finest work either artist has produced. There are no weak tracks on Garota: its six original songs hold up in quality to the seven classics by legends like Menescal, Veloso and de Moraes. Conte chooses a primarily acoustic accompaniment, with a scarcity and precision that underplays its complexity. De Souza's masterful performance displays the perfect balance of skill and playfulness that finds the strength of each song. Her scatting on the lyric-less compositions, "Bossa 31" and "Zona Sul" is a special treat; and her delicate phrasing over the muted beat of "Samba Novo" sends the whole thing soaring to a higher plane.
If you would like to sample this highly recommended disc, go to www.connectbrazil.com, where you can sample 40 seconds of each track.

Publication Date: 2004-02-15
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3649