Antonio Carlos Jobim - Tom Canta Vinicius Ao Vivo (2000)

Vinicius de Moraes was the author of many of Antonio Carlos Jobim's most popular hits, and his death in 1980 dealt the great Brazilian composer a crushing blow. That he missed de Moraes very much is evident in this lovingly performed, posthumously released concert recorded (on the tenth anniversary of de Moraes' death) at the Centro Cultural do Brasil in Rio de Janeiro with musicians from Jobim's family and friends. Several well-known pieces are included - there is a very touching rendition of "Insensatez", thanks to which this frequently performed melody seems freshly minted - but most of the selected pieces belong to less familiar fruits of collaboration, along with several songs that de Moraes wrote with Carlos Lira and Toquinho. Some of de Moraes' own music is also performed, and things like the stunning "Serenata do Adeus" prove that he also had a melodic gift. Softened by Jacques Morelenbaum's deep soulful cello and Danilo Kaimmi's flute, with guitarist Paulo Jobim often the only rhythmic component, Jobim's own rough, vulnerable voice and piano are balanced by Paula Morelenbaum's clean, cool vocals. Between the numbers, Jobim offers his own memoirs in Portuguese, but can also flash his sense of humor — following de Moraes' "Canta ao Tom" with a parody co-written with Chico Buarque, titled "Canta do Tom" or playing a mischievous piano phrase at the end of "The Girls from Ipanema". Although the CD is released by Universal Latino, it has been widely distributed in the USA.