Zeca Pagodinho is a typical sambista do morro (from the Carioca hills), very fond of the rich, pure samba tradition. This release brings the faithful instrumentation and chorus as are practiced in the samba community of the morros. A minor compromise is the insertion of one song, "À Distância," performed in the ugly, opportunistic "pagodinho romântico" style, watered-down samba. The heavy, wild, and happy percussion is balanced with some references to the old parade band tradition in Brazil, with flute and piccolo. Of course, the samba tradition comprises also a rich instrumentation of violão, seven-string violão, cavaquinho, and other harmonic instruments. The musicians in this careful production are among the best samba performers in Rio. The songs are also by some of the best Carioca samba composers, and Zeca risks himself in that illustrious company as a writer of a couple of tracks.
© Alvaro Neder /TiVo