1. Anarrie - features the cyrimba, the PVC pipes that I play with the sandals. During the rehearsals Max was whistling in the hallway and I thought it was so nice that it ended up being the centerpiece of this song.
2. Forro For All - believe it or not this song was arranged by Wynton Marsalis and was performed with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Here we have a BTD version of that.
3. Maria Teresa - this is a love song by Viva, with an an amazing introduction by Feldman. Later on, he and Rob Curto on accordion trade solos and then at the end the music explodes with entrance Jamie SaftÒs mellotron. I can't tell you what Chikako is saying but it sure sounds amazing.
4. Olivia - Trey Anastasio changed the name of this song to "Olivia" from "Step On The Roach." It was originally I named this because when we play it with his band I count off "1,2,3,4, step on the roach" to begin the song.
5. Movie Screen - this is an homage to Mauro and Quiteria a couple that were performers in Recife in Northeast of Brazil. They used to perform at the harbor, and then they would get some words and facts from the sailors from all over the world and create the lyrics for their songs. It also is a statement about the US image in the rest of the world nowadays.
6. Rio de Jamaica - the song begins with me singing about how much I miss Rio and want to see Copacabana beach and then Peter and Jamie take over and tell how much they love Jamaica and reggae.
7. Bottles - this is a very visual song that we perform in the show playing all sorts of bottles. For the studio version we had help from the sound engineer's kids.
8. Caboclinho - from the folklore of Northeast of Brasil, this composition of Nana Vasconcelos is another big visual song that we play with bow and arrows instruments. Here we have Jimmy Cruiz on the Indian wood flutes. With the megaphone I leave you a choice between the risk of bearing arms or party until you die.
9. Matan - this song represents very well the BTD approach to composition. It would be very hard to define what style of music it is. We are constantly changing moods and switch from the "cuica" to the didgedoridoo to the Jew's harp. In another moment we play drum'n'bass with Balinese gongs together with capoeira and kung-fu, without being folkloric.
10. Tap on the Cajon - Max and me built big wooden boxes (don't try at home) so that he and Chikako could get the best sound out of the top. Nilson did the bass solo based on Bananeira by Brazilian great composer Joao Donato.
11. Immigrant Song - I always loved this song so much and this is a version with the alfaias (Brazilian bass drum) and accordion.
12. Pandeirada - this song is the closest to what the live show sounds like. People who have seen our show know what we do with the pandeiro (Brazilian tambourine) and will hear that here.
13. Frevo de Rua - another Northeast Brazilian form of music that originally was arranged for big band but fits perfectly with Viva's guitar interpretation.
14. American Constitution - we usually open the show with this piece, swirling the vacuum cleaner hoses in the air. Here we close the album with it so you can keep you laughing and bogeying.
