The late Batatinha Oscar Da Penha was a great samba composer who was recorded by Jamelão (the first time, back in 1960, with "Jajá Da Gamboa"), Maria Bethânia (several times), and others. In this last album, he sings his own compositions with his sad voice, helped by Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, and other popular artists. The album is very different from that expected of a true Baiano, composer of true sambas. Instead of explicit happiness, reflection. In place of wild percussion, discrete accompanyment, highlighting the violão and Batatinha's own matchbox percussion. There are more lively tracks, among them a marcha carnavalesca and a samba de roda, but even then the happiness and the malandragem (smartness) of the sambista are subtly exposed by seven-string violão, flute, and cavaquinho in a rich samba polyphonia, with the percussion in the background.
© Alvaro Neder /TiVo