Acoustic

Performer: Gilberto Gil
Engineer: Vitor Farias
Producer: Gilberto Gil
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Gilberto Gil (vocals, acoustic guitar); Celso Fonseca (acoustic guitar); Lucas Santana (flute); Arthur Maia (bass); Jorge Gomes (drums, bandolim); Marcos Suzano (percussion). Personnel: Gilberto Gil (vocals, acoustic guitar); Celso Fonseca (acoustic guitar); Jorge Gomes (bandolim, drums); Lucas Santtana (flute); Marcos Suzano (percussion). This is undoubtedly the equivalent of Gilberto Gil "Unplugged" -- Gil, his acoustic guitar, and a nonelectric five-piece band recorded live in a studio -- and it is a thoroughly musical triumph as Gil mesmerizes his attentive audience for some 74 minutes. He starts out with the nearly pure reggae of "A Novidade," but before long, he establishes himself in a mostly consistent, loping set of intimate grooves thoroughly rooted in Brazil. Gil had a hand in writing all of this tuneful material except Anastacia Dominguinhos' "Tenho Sede," Caetano Veloso's "Sampa," and a left-field choice, Stevie Wonder's "The Secret Life of Plants," which lends itself very well to Gil's bossa nova approach and proenvironmental position. It is not a complete live portrait of Gil, though; the astounding quickness and flexibility of his voice is fully vented only toward the end of the concert. The later Quanta Live album will give you a wider panorama of Gil's range. ~ Richard S. Ginell Originally recorded for MTV Brazil as an "Unplugged" session (and released there under that title), Gilberto Gil ACOUSTIC presents the singer in a setting that emphasizes a more delicate side of his music and doesn't sacrifice the vision of a songwriter obsessed with the past and future and where they intersect in his native Brazil. Joined by a solid and supple band, Gil plays many of his best-known tunes, including the samba-reggae "A Novidade," the bouncing "Toda Menina Baiana" and "Parabolicamara," in which the kudzu-like creeping plant camara becomes a metaphor for the shrinking modern world. It's no coincidence, then, the set's one cover (and only tune sung in English) is a samba-fied version of Stevie Wonder's "Secret Life of Plants," both an obvious nod to musical influence and a typically subtle political comment.

Q (8/94, p.100) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...He is one of Brazil's greatest musical exports and his light, airy and delicate singing and playing lends itself beautifully to this musical setting..."

With a career that dates back to the early 1960s, Gilberto Gil is one of the major innovators of Brazilian pop. A founder of the Tropicalia movement, he has embraced a huge variety of influences, from traditional regional styles of the Brazilian Northeast to jazz, reggae, disco, rock, and African music. Romantic, political, and downright funky, Gil always has an eye on both the past and the future.

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