Vinicius Cantauria originally made his mark in the second wave of late '60s Bossa Nova which directly led to the Tropocalia revolution of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. Cantuaria also served as second guitarist on many of Veloso's most important albums throughout the '70s. Now based in New York, he has most recently collaborated with Arto Lindsay on the latter's bossa-derived solo albums. But as the previous, beautiful SOL NA CARA and now TUCUMA vividly demonstrate, Cantuaria is himself a distinctive singer/songwriter in the classic Brazilian tradition.
Unlike fellow tropicalist Tom Ze, who is also enjoying a New York-inspired second wind, Cantuaria's current style harks back to the cooly romantic bossa nova of Joao Gilberto. Whatever experimental elements remain are highly understated and only serve to accentuate a sensuous, dreamlike atmosphere. Comparable to jazz singer Cassandra Wilson's recent work, TUCUMA is a superbly produced affair, laden with closely recorded acoustic guitar and moody vocals.
Producers: Hans Wendl, Soli, Vinicius Cantuaria.
Recorded at Forest Sound and Shelter Island Studios, New York, New York.
