Into my sad heart

Linda Leonardo: Eterno Fado

I was excited when I saw this ARC Music album of music by the superb Fado singer Linda Leonardo, entitled Eterno Fado, which is due to be released on July 27, 2018. Alas, it's a re-issue of her great 2007 release, which was called The Mystery of Fado, albeit one with fine production values. A beautifully designed liner booklet includes the lyrics of each song, with English translations, and as a bonus, some poems by Leonardo, again with translations. As well, the booklet includes complete information about the musicians supporting Leonardo, an important reason for the very high quality of this album. Though the soul of Fado is in the expressive, emotional voice part, it's set off and provided with further depth by the accompanying Guitara Portuguesa and Viola (classical guitar), and occasionally other strings and piano. The group supporting Leonardo for most of the songs in this session are Diogo Clemente, guitar, José Manuel Neto, Portuguese guitar, and Marino de Freitas, bass. The CD was recorded at the famous Pé de Vento Studio in Foros de Salvaterra, where so many great Fado albums were recreated.

Nearly every song here is a classic, full of saudade in the lyrics, but with an unmistakably upbeat rhythm keeping outright depression at bay. A standout is the 12th track, Chamar fado á solidão, with music by bassist Marino de Freitas and lyrics by Tiago Torres da Silva.

But I wouldn’t have wanted to sing,
Without having brought Fado
Into my sad heart.

Though I would have preferred a brand-new Linda Leonardo release, I can whole-heartedly recommend this marvellous CD, and every one of the 14 songs included in it.

Diverse, fun music from Latin America,

From November 12, 2013:

Over the years the excellent ARC Music label has provided a wealth of world music recordings from Latin America. This inexpensive sampler disc includes tracks from 15 of their CDs, and comes together as a valuable snap-shot of a continent-and-a-half's musical roots. Every song has vital music textures and infectious rhythms, and the diversity of the music keeps one from the bane of some Latin discs: the sameness of only a few types of music. Highlights for me include the two Brazilian tracks, the Samba of the Carioca Grupo Raca and the Forro from Banda Mapsom in the country's north-east. I also loved the traditional El Gavilan from Venezuela's De Norte a Sur, the slightly overblown Sol del Paraguay by Oscar Benito, and Kausay Chasqui by Sacambaya de Bolivia, who bring a bit of a gaucho feel to the Andean music. All together you get an hour of authentic music, and a really really good time!

Fabulous son cubana

From December 7, 2012:

The release of Ry Cooder's Buena Vista Social Club album in 1996 introduced many of us to the sound of "son cubano", the Cuban blend of Spanish and African melodies and rhythms that was a feature of the Havana dance club since the 1940s. Influenced by American jazz - and especially by Willis Conover's Voice of America Jazz Hour in the 1950s and 60s - the music of the venerable Cuban musicians became a big hit. Here is another excellent ARC CD of world music, with a selection of the best of Buena Vista by a few of the original BV musicians. They're led by a leading sonero, Luis Frank, and the great singer Pio Leyva. But just as important, the album features the accomplished musicians of Buena Vista: the Next Generation. The highlight is Compay Segundo's Chan Chan, the breakout hit from the original album, which is sung here by his nephews. This is amazing, vital, rhythmically complex and melodic music that will put a smile on your face, and get your body moving.

A Voice of the Century

From November 27, 2012:

Amalia Rodrigues had one of the great voices of the 20th Century, and looms large in the history of fado, Portugal's most vital and important musical form. Her voice is as strong and pure as Patsy Cline's, and as dramatic and full of pathos as Maria Callas's. She recorded so many records from 1945 until the late 1990s, providing lots to choose from in creating the second disc in this Queen of Fado series. The songs on the CD are all of great simplicity and power, and she is more than ably accompanied by her long-time guitarist partner Santos Moreira, along with Domingos Camarinha, Raul Nery or Jaime Santos playing guitarra portuguesa. There are also a few songs with orchestral accompaniment, which apparently caused quite a stir when they were first recorded. That fuss reminded me of the controversy when Bob Dylan first went electric. In the end, though, it's all about the music. And the voice.

ARC Music continues to enrich the musical life of the world through their recording and licensing of important music from around the globe. This disc, endorsed by the Foundation Amalia Rodrigues, has my enthusiastic endorsement as well.

Another fine disc from Trio Pantango

From January 11, 2012:

Trio Pantango have been making music to much acclaim since 1993, and their latest disc, from ARC, provides a fine selection of tangos and other dances from Argentina. It's nice to hear some tangos from other composers besides Piazzolla. The title track, Madame Ivonne, by Eduardo Pereyra, is a stand-out, as is Alberto Castillo's sad Silbando.

This is not to say that the musicians don't do a fine job with the more well-known works by Piazzolla. Verano porteno, from the Cuatro estaciones porteñas suite, is my favourite piece by Piazzolla, and the Trio Pantanto produce solid forward propulsion to the piece. Bandoneonista Guillermo Destaillats and guest bassist Dirk Luking provide suitable emotive power in the sad middle part without going over the top. The disc ends with guitarist Fernando Rubin Saglia playing Quique Sinesi's atmospheric piece for solo guitar Contra viento y marea (Against wind and tide).