Carolina, by Musical Memoirs

This production of Carolina Saboya is minimal and celebrates her voice. She is a Brazilian vocalist with a wispy, soft and compelling sound. I would have enjoyed hearing more of a rhythmic double bass to contrast and compliment her light and appealing style on the first cut. I missed that thick, prominent bottom that propels Brazilian music. The percussion is mixed upfront and delicately, to support the arrangements. On cut #2, the bass is more prominent and dances solidly beneath clusters of vocal notes that race in unison with the busy flute played by Marcelo Martins. Carolina Saboya sings three songs by Jobim and two by the 2016 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Djavan. Most of this CD is performed in her native tongue of Portuguese as she celebrates popular Brazilian composers. At times, she uses her own scat sensibilities to merge with the ensemble in a very musical and instrumental way, like on cut # 10, “Zanzibar," where her voice mimics an instrument and wordlessly joins the band. This is one of my favorite tracks along with the very melancholy “Faltando um Pedaco." In English she sings the Sting composition, “Fragile" and “Hello Goodbye" by John Lennon. Her voice is pleasant and easy listening at its best.