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121 of 122 found the following review helpful:
 Yo-Yo's best "classical crossover" CD yet.Aug 31, 2003
By Bob Zeidler
It's been enjoyable for me to experience Yo-Yo Ma's excursions into "not quite classical" music, and to take note of how much better he gets with each such foray, and how those forays have introduced me to other great musicians.
It was through Yo-Yo's first such foray, "Appalachia Waltz," that I initially became familiar with the fiddling of Mark O'Connor and the bass playing of Edgar Meyer, two artists I've since become well-acquainted with, collecting all of their works. And, if this early foray of Yo-Yo's was somewhat tentative on his part, in terms of adapting to new styles of playing, he has only gotten better - measurably better, in fact - since then.
"Obrigado Brazil" is the sequel to Yo-Yo's wildly successful "Soul of the Tango" album, and I think it surpasses it in every respect, not least of which is his constantly improving skill at absorbing and subsuming "world music" genres and styles. Moreover, the variety of Brazilian music on this album is far wider - and the music itself much more laid-back - than the tangos of that earlier effort. (There is a near-monochromatic tension in the rhythms and sharp accents of the tango, as a musical form, that can tend to give the music a sense of "sameness"; a little can go a far way. This is hardly the case for the mellower range of styles present in Brazilian music, which is much more of an amalgam of the many cultural styles of Brazil than the more restricted - and heavily stylized - tango form.)
For this project, Yo-Yo has brought along a few artists who collaborated on the "Soul of the Tango" project: Kathryn Stott, the pianist on both, and Oscar Castro-Neves, the great Brazilian guitarist who not only got in some of the best guitar licks on "Tango" but produced that album as well. Other well-known Brazilian and world music artists include Cyro Baptista, Paulo Braga, Romero Lubambo and Nilson Matta (who collaborated with Oscar and with Paul Winter on their "Brazilian Days" album), the guitarists Sérgio and Odair Assad, Rosa Passos (a wonderful Brazilian vocalist seemingly the equal of Astrud Gilberto or Luciana Souza), Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet, and, last but far from least, Egberto Gismonti, a phenomenally gifted composer and instrumentalist, here offering up two of his own works in duets with Yo-Yo (one on piano and one on guitar and flute).
With sixteen great tracks (not a one of them less than outstanding), it is very hard to play favorites. But there are a few that stand out above the others for me, so I'll say a few words about these. First would be "Chega De Saudade" by the great Antonio Carlos Jobim, with Rosa Passos on vocals and guitar. "Saudade" is a uniquely Portuguese word for "longing" that has no direct English equivalent; the music, however, says it all.
Second would be the well-known Heitor Villa-Lobos tune "Alma Brasileira," arranged as a duet for cello and piano (Kathryn Stott). Anyone familiar with the work of Villa-Lobos, Brazil's greatest composer, would recognize this track even without referring to the track titles.
Third, simply because it is simply "great fun," would be "Brasileirinho," a "street samba" (common at Carnival time), arranged for cello, clarinet, piano, guitar, bass and lots of riotous percussion. A typically joyous Carnival "romp."
And finally, what I believe to be the very best track on the album, "Bodas De Prata & Quatro Cantos," an extended (nearly 10-minute) work by Egberto Gismonti for cello and piano (with Gismonti on keyboards). I first ran across the music of Gismonti when a friend, knowing that I liked Brazilian music, "gifted" me with a few of his albums acquired while he was in Brazil. Gismonti is a prodigiously talented composer and instrumentalist who needs to be better known in the U.S. Perhaps this track on "Obrigado Brazil" will be the key that opens the door for American listeners. The work is virtuosic in every respect (Yo-Yo and Egberto pull out all the stops in performing it), and it certainly engaged my "classical" side for its full duration.
"Obrigado Brazil" samples all of the multicultural styles of Brazilian musics. But, if there is a "spiritual godfather" overlooking the artistic efforts and the perfecting of Yo-Yo's Brazilian styles, so that he is "at home" with the genres (particularly Bossa Nova and samba) in this project, I think that godfather is Oscar Castro-Neves. I sense his artistic influence throughout, most particularly in Yo-Yo's very Brazilian way with phrasing and articulation. And why not? They worked so closely together on "Tango" that such a relationship is both understandable and natural.
In an earlier review, of Regina Carter's "Paganini: After a Dream" album, I had offered up the opinion that Ms. Carter had the best inside shot at a "best classical crossover" Grammy. Hmm... Now I'm not so sure. But I'm sure that the Grammy race for this category will be interesting, with both Yo-Yo and Regina having such great albums for the event.
Bob Zeidler
58 of 62 found the following review helpful:
A great overview of the Brazilian spiritSep 26, 2003
By CecilyK
I was blessed to spend almost 2 years in the beautiful country of Brazil. I learned the language and loved the people. I'm a musician myself and have been recently discovering the beautiful sounds of Heitor Villa-Lobos. This CD has 2 of his pieces as well as a fantastic selection, ranging from the smooth jazz of A. Jobim to the more traditionals sounds of Paxinguinha with the samba. There's nothing like jazz sung by a native of Rio and there's nothing so wonderful as the samba. I admire the selection of music on this CD as it covers a wide variety of genres and a large chunk of Brazilian history. Several of the newer pieces were also quite enjoyable, especially because they were performed by the composers themselves. Of course, Yo-Yo Ma outdoes himself again. His playing is impeccable as is his ability to become part of the larger ensemble. I'm so glad he's willing to blend in and let us hear all the different and beautiful aspects of this music. He's truly a class act as well as an astonishingly accurate and polished musician!
18 of 19 found the following review helpful:
Yo-Yo Ma is Amazing!Sep 04, 2003
I was fortunate enough to see a live concert featuring the songs from the Obrigado Brazil cd. It was one of the most incredible musical experiences of my life! Yo-Yo Ma is an amazing musician - you know that he's great when you realize that you can understand the entire meaning and purpose of a song that doesn't even have lyrics. My personal favorite on this cd is track 9 - Menino. It is a gorgeous melody that the composers at the concert said was about a young boy. I still get tears in my eyes just listening to the cd. I would strongly recommend this cd, even if you are not a huge classical music fan - it is wonderful! :)
17 of 19 found the following review helpful:
IntergratedAug 01, 2003
By C. Lim
"Social Scientist"
Two classical gurus told me that they were not a fan of this particular CD. They even said that the genre is a classical. I dissent; I actually enjoy listening to this CD and believe it is not entirely classical music. Yo-Yo Ma fuses his classical training with Brazilian style jazz that is easy for listeners who are not astute to classical music and/or jazz. Thus, it is the perfect CD for people who are starting out with classical and/or jazz music. For advanced listeners, it is relaxing, mellow, and playful, simultaneously. Every phrase is well developed with warmth and care. It is also a nice change of (music) palette. Usually, whenever Yo-Yo Ma endeavours into a new genre, he encompasses himself with the genre's most prominent musicians. Listen to the CD and purchase it. It speaks for itself. Enjoy!
11 of 12 found the following review helpful:
Obrigado in the studioMar 04, 2004
By Dr. Christopher Coleman
Yo-yo Ma is one of the most interesting musicians working today. His eclectic tastes bring us fascinating music from around the globe, and his astonishing musicianship guarantees excellence in every new adventure. Recent CDs have seen him venturing to China via the Silk Road and to the Belle Epoque of France. His attention has also been focused on Latin America with Soul of the Tango and this first, studio version of Obrigado Brazil. He has even followed up these recordings with Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert, which repeats some pieces from the earlier studio recordings but is primarily new work in the same vein. Ma is joined by a septet of mostly Latin American performers, two of whom also double as composers: composer/clarinettist Paquito d'Rivera, singer/guitarist Rosa Passos, guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad, Ma's long time accompanist at the piano Kathryn Stott, and a bassist and percussionist. Listen to one of my favorite tracks, the lovely Menino, and you wil hear that Ma brings real sensibility to this music. Occasionally his performance reveals that he isn't as familiar with the style as d'Rivera or the others--he tends, for example, not to bend pitches but approach them as his Classical training would have--but this is no significant flaw, as the qualities of line and rhythm he does bring to the music compensate. Those who complain that Obrigado Brazil isn't truly Brazilian music, that it's perhaps over-refined miss the point entirely, and are advised to look elsewhere for their entertainment. Certainly if "authentic" folk music is what listeners are after, they won't find it here. But they will find wonderful music, played with love and dedication by superb musicians, and well worth hearing. Now, to compare the studio version with the live concert recording. The liner notes of Obrigado Brazil Live in Concert claim that the energy of a live performance makes the works the two CDs share sound totally different, with the implication that live is better, but I can't agree. There are subtle variations, to be sure-for example one of the pieces has much more percussion in the studio version, and even the ambience of the studio recording is audibly different from the live concert-but these aren't wild distinctions and certainly not necessarily improvements. The energy of a live concert may well be counterbalanced by the control of a studio version. It's surely a matter of taste. Personally I usually prefer studio recordings to live. Here, though, the biggest difference is not in the comparisons of the pieces that are on both CDs, but on the contrasting approaches of the overall programme. The studio version of Obgriado Brazil is more introspective and melancholy; the concert recording has more fast, joyful works and moves beyond Brazil for its sources. In this particular case, I prefer the live concert material for the most part. The two final pieces of the studio recording are glorious, though, and I wouldn't want to miss them by only purchasing the live recording. I'm totally taken by the joyous exhuberance of the penultimate track, Brasileirinho, and the crazed final track, Salvador, with its wild improvisation. Admittedly, what I prize many listeners may despise--so much so that the marketers label this last a "bonus track". And I'm not so much a Bossa Nova fan, but if you are, I think the studio CD leans more in that general direction. Whether to buy one or the other, or even both, will surely be a matter of personal taste. But certainly, do buy one--you're almost guaranteed to enjoy it!
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