Friday, May 6, 2011

CD Review: Patricia Talem's 'Olhos'




Olhos

Tratore



The sensual voice of Brazil's Patricia Talem exceeds every expectation. The voice, in combination with the jazzy, piano and percussion-driven rhythms and melodies, create a sense of delectable leisure. Nine songs, mostly in Portuguese, reflect a Latin jazz palette of South American colors and flavors. Patricia is joined by Jane Monheit on 'Nascente' and Flavio Venturini on 'Club da Esquina.' Judging by the photogenic colored photos of Patricia in the liner notes, one can easily see how the album's title (trans. "eyes") came about. Of course, it could be equally titled "Voz" for 'voice.' The gentle rhythms and pleasant voice stand out as a strong Brazilian jazz release with piano, percussion, and strings. The music is relatively laid-back in scope. Anyone interested in Brazilian jazz, female vocalists, Latin music, and piano music should find Olhos 'eye'-opening. ~ Matthew Forss



No comments: