She is Marisa Monte.
Infinito Particular (In-fee-nee-toh par-ti-koo-lar)
Released in 2006 this album lends itself to the true poetic nature of Marisa Monte. Without a cusp of shallow Starbucks Marketability this collection of songs takes the listener into a forgiving well of darkness and truth. The sun just can't help but beat down while a ladder is constantly in close reach. The ladder my friends is the voice that can make anyone reflect.
As mentioned from my Jorge Ben Jor write up, colloquial wordplay and esoteric candor fetters the ears to participate in a collective of emotions. Marisa is gentle and exquisite, and even bold enough to cover The Velvet Underground's classic Pale Blue Eyes. Song not on this album but I will display it in this post, just so you can feel the reach all the way down in Rio de Janeiro. And if I can say, this is a brilliant cover played so so gentle in keeping the spirit of the song alive. Her voice has a long expanding quality to it which puts the MPB (Musica Popular Brasil) seal of approval for those quiet taxi rides through rio at 6 a.m; so majestic. You can catch this Lou Reed cover on her album titled:
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"VERDE ANIL AMARELO COR DE ROSA E CARVÃO"
EMI Odeon, 1994
Solitude is the new committed relationship. Check out this track titled Dança de Solidão. Note the black magic influence and how the song takes you into your love and personal beauty. Gilberto Gil backs her up with afro-Brazilian chants to welcome and set the tone for this thick and wavy piece. Her cadence follows an up and down slope traveling through a bossa tambour and spanish flamenco hints. A nouvelle yet modest Jazz-Tango bolts the bridge between chorus and dreamy abstractions of the drum and bass. Take a trip with this tune for you will definitely want more. Check out my ...[MOG]... page to listen to more tracks like this:
If you aren't already, you will not be disappointed if you're not familiar with Marisa Monte. Aside from her voice, her musical back up is varietized catering to many genres, sub-genres, and alchemic variations that spark the listener into a dream like state. There are many Brasilian divas that have preceded and benefited from her talent. Namely the likes of Astrud Gilberto, Elis Regina, Ana Gabriel, Maria Bethania, Gal Costa, Zizi Possi, and of course the pinnacle of Brasilian female caress Cassia Eller. I'll do a write up on Cassia soon so please stay tuned for that one.
It's not by accident Brazil is jam packed with innovative musical mavens and players. If you have ever been, regardless of which region you visit, one will be surprised to see that Brazil is not all about catchy samba like rhythms and breezy (I know I have used this adjective already) bossa nova guitar filler. Not that there is anything wrong with the two. They are important and noteworthy in their own right. Though Brazil is a manifestation of influence right from the get go. And if you notice from Marisa Monte's mystical experimentations you can get a clear glimpse of what Brazil has to offer. From folk music to bluegrass Brazil has its underrated stamp in the music world. African influence crossed with lofty European imagination congealed literally thousands of genres which influenced south america all the way up to the Tennessee Waltz. Brazil's bragging rights are just as passive and modest as it's people.
Innocent and living in a musical gold mine. Like Sir Thomas More's Utopia,
it is a country build and infested with gold and the outside world cannot help but faint in the eyes of its brilliance whilst the habitants of this magical land see music as simply a part of life - o alento dá vida (the breath of life).
Teddy Roosevelt crossed the Amazon with plenty of near death experiences. Mark Twain spent nearly a year in Brasil to document his bewilderment, and even Marie Curie straightened her scientific complications along the beaches of Ipanema. Do not underestimate the power of Brasil, the energy of the country is truly truly based on innocence. A New York avant guard, chess playing, Charles Mingus worshiping NYU tenure bound dandy man could find innocence and humildade (humility) just like these historical figures did. And all the mushrooms in the world couldn't give you the kind of sober magic Brazil has to offer, through ahem! the music thankyouverymuch. Raw, sexual, contained and playful, Marisa Monte is simply a humble guide to what Brazilian musicians preserve about their country. Politics aside of course.
Though, as I said before, Brasilian artists absolutely love and need the influence from the "exterior". The interdependency of exterior creativity is a historical precedent which is not going anywhere. Here is an excerpt from my Jorge Ben Jor article of Brazilian dependency on the "exterior":
If there is one thing Brazilian artists do is fall in love with the "exterior". In portuguese "exterior" has several meanings.
In portuguese pronounced EX-TER-EE-OH.
In a social sense, "exterior" is everything outside of Brasil. So, I would say, "God I really love music from the exterior, it makes me feel closer to my dreams." And that is exactly how most Brasilians carry an attitude of the "exterior".
And this is exactly what Monte Evokes. The journey like melodies carry the traditional Brazilian chords and colloquial flavor of her lyrics. Other artist who have worked with Monte include Carlinhos Brown, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carols Jobim, Rita Lee, Ana Carolina and the folk master Nando Reis. Ok, i'll stop right there and let you breathe with this tune titled "Enquanto Isso". Here you can taste the Folky Mama's and the Papa's/Jefferson Airplane influence blended with a powerful country flame thanks to Nando Reis. Let your audiotisical lungs expand on this (warning, you might fall in love):
With Love...
Until Next Time.
For B.S
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