The spirit of Brazil

Reviewed December 2006

In this two-release offering, Monte blends traditional and popular rhythms with avant-garde trimmings, all with the same, seemingly effortless execution that has made her a household name in Brazil.

After five years since her last solo project, the singer/songwriter divides her musical passions on each disc. "Universo" focuses solely on samba and bossa nova, while "Infinito" builds on stray demos of pop songs from Monte's 17-year career.

Monte is as much a researcher of Brazilian musical traditions as she is a musician. And "Universo" includes several samba compositions from the mid-1940s passed along orally for generations, but rarely recorded.

This is no carnival music, however. Monte's ethereal voice and subtle, building arrangements morph even the most straightforward samba into something fully contemporary, yet as true as anything to Brazil's diverse musical roots.

Meanwhile, the title track and "Quatro Paredes," two original pieces, mix jazz and samba in a style reminiscent of the late Elis Regina.

The pace of "Infinito" is equally eclectic. Monte builds upon a variety of dense rhythms to create lilting, hypnotic songs that reflect a simple pop sensibility and transcend any language barriers.

As always, Monte's quest for variety and uniqueness attracts a bevy of Brazilian and international talent. Regular collaborator and rhythm king Carlinhos Brown gets co-writing credits on several tracks, while Philip Glass lends a hand arranging the soft, pulsating title track.

Review by David Fried. David is a writer living in San Diego.