Gal Costa - Focus: O Essencial De Gal Costa (1999)

Compilation focusing on the period 1984/1998. The versatile singer gives life to old marchas carnavalescas ("Onde Está O Dinheiro") and new ones ("70 neles"), boleros old and new ("Alguém Me Disse" by Evaldo Gouveia/Jair Amorim, "Nua Idéia," "Tá Combinado"), to corny pop music ("Chuva de Prata" performed with the kitsch band Roupa Nova), rock ("Vaca Profana," "Musa de Qualquer Estação," and "Brasil," the latter with an exciting samba percussion), and Brazilian soul ("Um Dia de Domingo," with special guest Tim Maia). The times of hippie inspiration are remembered in "Baby," the hedonistic dance phase in "Odara," and there is more modern pop on "Sorte" (with special guest Caetano Veloso) and "Lua-de-Mel." "Se Eu Quiser Falar Com Deus" and Stevie Wonder's "Lately" (in a Brazilian version, "Nada Mais") portray her limpid ballad interpretations. Finally, samba-reggae ("Vida" with Obina Shock and Gilberto Gil) and reggae ("Cabelo") are also represented in the eclectic selection.~O Essencial De Gal Costa Review by Alvaro Neder