Prenda Minha

Performer: Caetano Veloso
Engineer: Antonio "Moogie" Canazio; Moogie Canazio
Producer: Jaques Morelenbaum; Caetano Veloso
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Caetano Veloso (vocals); Jacques Morelenbaum (conductor, cello, background vocals); Luiz Brazil (acoustic & electric guitars, berimbau, background vocals); Rowney Scott (saxophone); Joatan Nascimento (trumpet, flugelhorn); Roberto Silva (trombone); Jorge Helder (acoustic & electric basses, background vocals); Ronaldo Silva (drums); Orlando Costa (tabla, percussion); Marcio Victor, Eduardo Josino, Moreno Veloso (percussion). Recorded live at Metropolitan, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil from September 10-13, 1998. Personnel: Jorge Helder (vocals, electric guitar, acoustic bass, electric bass); Jaques Morelenbaum (vocals, cello); Rowney Scott (saxophone); Roberto Silva (trombone, bass trombone); Ronaldo, Ronaldo Silva (drums); Orlando Costa (tabla, percussion); M�rcio Victor, Moreno Veloso (percussion). Audio Mixer: Antonio "Moogie" Canazio. Recording information: Metropolitan, Rio De Janeiro, BR (09/10/1998-09/13/1998); Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (09/10/1998-09/13/1998). Directors: Jaques Morelenbaum; Caetano Veloso. Illustrator: Ivan Marques. Photographers: Helio Eichbauer; Livio Campos. Unknown Contributor Roles: Virginia Cas�; Jorge Ribeiro. Arranger: Jaques Morelenbaum. In this uneven album, Caetano Veloso used cool jazz and Gil Evans' orchestrations as the raw material for his synthesis with contemporary Bahian rhythms -- "Terra," from 1978, is an epic description in which Sketches of Spain influences dialogue with their rhythmic similarity with Bahian grooves. The track is the best of the album, which brings no news other than the interpretation of "Prenda Minha," from the ga�cho folklore, and the ridiculous yet highly rewarding financially track "Sozinho" (which may be the best reason for a Veloso album reaching the cipher of 1,200,000 sold copies for the first time), which propelled the selling of the album and its presence in the top radio charts. "Jorge de Capad�cia" (Jorge Ben, 1975) is an emotional and beautiful delivery of the important song, but included in this repertory after Racionais MC's recorded it, it sounds a bit opportunistic -- the visceral phrase "eu estou vestido com as roupas e as armas de Jorge" (I am dressed with the clothes and weapons of Jorge's," a reference to the religious syncretism that unifies Saint Georges and Oxum in a Negro entity of protection, resistance, and survival) sounds incongruous when delivered by this elegant gentleman in an expensive suit. Musically, the excellent cool jazz orchestral arrangements for "Esse Cara," "Prenda Minha," "Terra," "Medita�ao" (a bossa classic propelled by a Bahian percussion), the also splendid Latin jazz arrangements for "Mel" (recorded by sister Maria Beth�nia, here sung in Spanish in a convenient Mercosul version), and the delicate, straight voice/violao renditions for "Bem Devagar," "Drao," "Saudosismo," and the beautiful Chico Buarque song "Carolina" make the album worthwhile -- even if listeners must endure the shameless plug for Veloso's book, the pretentious Verdade Tropical. ~ Alvaro Neder

CMJ (7/31/00, p.25) - "...As good a place to start as any, as the far-ranging set list serves as a fine primer for new listeners....a cut above the usual live-album experience." JazzTimes (11/00, p.67) - "...A magical live performance....executing Chet Bakeresque club ballads, warm acoustic folk textures and frisky, all-out romps with equal skill and verve..."

Caetano Veloso is a giant of Brazilian pop, often compared to figures such as Bob Dylan and John Lennon--even if the comparison doesn't quite translate. Veloso began in the late 1960s as one of the primary instigators of the "tropicalia" movement--an intentionally provocative collision of musical and cultural influences--for which he rapidly ascended to fame and notoriety. For years he was hardly known outside Brazil, but in time he became an international star renowned for his musical creativity and poetic soul.

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