One of the greatest living Brazilian composers, Ivan Lins, has his material presented in an intriguing and creative fashion on this exciting new disc. Together with the SWR Big Band conducted by Ralf Schmid, Lins and a plethora of guests present a wide range of material, some of it justifiably famous (but here presented in a new setting) and others being more obscure but deserving more attention.
The title of the album is justified, as the deliveries range in a wide variety; “ARaketutu” features South African sounding voices melded with a runaway rhythm section, while the popular “Awa Yio” includes punchy brass and electric grooves. Lins’ vocals gets a bit gritty on the funky “Todo Mundo” and synthetically bouncy “Oi Lua” while Paula Morelenbaum’s lovely voice is caressed by flutes on “Atlantida.” Hints of vintage Gil Evans is evoked on “Missing Miles” while “Roda Baiana” just might be the sonic highlight with an enthralling meld of flutes and Afro-Brazilian rhythms. The fact that one composer can range from popish material like “Trem Bom” to visceral celebrations like “Samba De Vision” is one of the most inspiring things about this smorgasbord of songs.
Sunnyside Records