Vânia Bastos is one of the most expressive singers in 2000 in Brazil. A highly skilled professional, she also has remarkably good taste for choice of repertoire and instrumental backing. This album makes evident one of her passions: the magnificent orchestral work where her voice is another instrument. On the opening track,
Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes's classic "Canta Mais," over the exquisite, haunting orchestration that coherently evokes Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas," serves as support for some non-virtuosic, simple, and expressive voice improv. Following are three disposable tracks with a pop treatment, based in ska and hip-hop drum machine loops. Next there is a jazz-swing ballad, very sensitively interpreted, a jazz bolero groove over her version of the old bolero classic "El Reloj," and there is a wonderful selection of sambas in the next four tracks, containing a
Jobim hit and other newer, excellent compositions by other remarkable composers, João Bosco and Eduardo Gudin. Follows are a frevo by
Edu Lobo and three more orchestral tracks, full of the most modern spirit in orchestration and melody. ~ Alvaro Neder