Cristina Saraiva - Só Canção (2006)

"Lindo, bonito, gostoso" - cute, beautiful and delicious - is Só Canção, the project produced by Rio de Janeiro lyrics writer Cristina Saraiva. Cristina is endorsed by Chico Buarque as 'her lyrics are excellent. I pass the baton to her'. Such an endorsement sets high expectations. Which are brilliantly met on this CD. Music and words are simply tasteful and beautiful, typically a CD that you want to sit down for to listen carefully, or else play it to create a warm and comfortable ambience -for whatever it is you need such an ambiance for.

The musical ambiance is created by the contemporary Brazilian composers Rafaél Altério, Felipe Radicetti, Simone Guimarães, Dante Ozetti, Théo de Barros, Edu Santana, and Clarisse Grova, a fine set of interpreters: Chico Buarque, Leila Pinheiro, Clarisse Grova, Dante Ozetti, Renato Braz, Ná Ozetti, Paula Santoro and Simone Guimarães - and we can even hear Cristina Saraiva herself on the last track, accompanied by a collection of very professional musicians. One of the gems on this CD is Amor de Poeta, sung by Leila Pinheiro, a wonderful composition of Théo Barros, that shows Cristina's lyrical capacities. With a minimum of words, she portrays unconditional love: Another diamond on this album is Pequena Cantiga de Amor, a delicious composition of Clarisse Grova. Clarisse is one of the few contemporary Brazilian singers who can take a song from an introvert beginning to the 'high sea'. The crown jewel is Só Canção, stunningly performed and composed by Dante Ozetti. It's perfect in every way, the singing, the original arrangements and instrumentation (guitar, cello, piano, bass, percussion). This CD surely is a Good Taste project, bringing together some of the best of Brazilian lyrics, interpreters, musicians and arrangements. ~Olaf Burgman