Documentos do Arquivo Pessoal de Gilberto Gil

WYATT Brazilian flavor adds spice ERHAT SPANISH TINGE,' said the irrepressible blues man Jelly Roll Morton, was a prime ingredient in the saucy omelet of early.jazz. Today it may be the Brazilian tinge-with a touch of the Spanish- that stimulates the popularity of a lot of exotic music styles emanating from the Caribbean and South America. Brazilian music has the princely air, the racy attitude and the fire to spark a worldwide explosion-look at the boost which bossa nova gave to jazz in the early '60s. Of course, Jamaican reggae, Puerto Rican salsa and other styles can stand on their own when it comes to the creative impulse. But since their popularity has been diminishing in recent years-primarily because of rock's domi- nance-steps must be taken to enhance their international appeal. Brazil offers an alternative because it can act as a bridge to bond these various forms and create the kind of "crossover" sound that saved the music industry in America a few years ago. It already constitutes the biggest link between the Caribbean and South America, and its diverse people and cultures represent more of a conglomeration of both Africa and Europe than perhaps any other country, except here. In addition, the popularity of Brazilian culture is growing in America, particularly in New York. There are more and more Brazilian concerts, restaurants and clubs, such as Sounds of Brazil (SOB) and Amazonas in lower Manhattan, that are focusing on this soon-to-be trendy music. GILBERTO GIL Raca Humana (Human Race) (Warner Bros.) This crossover import by Brazilian singer-guitarist Gilberto Gil repre. sents the most even compilation of bossa nova, reggae and salsa blends I've heard to date. The forms are all strongly laced by hypnotic, ancient African rhythms and soulful blues inflections that give the music a potency and originality rarely found in such music. The entire album is titillating, but side two is particularly striking because Gil's vocals and the instrumentation seem to reach the mind, heart and gut all at the same time. The Brazilian sound here is intact, but Gil-who has an original voice with a wondrous throaty.like quali ty-appears also to have a preoccupa tion with reggae, and he pulls it off quite well. He achieves this partially by introducing slightly different ac- cents on the beat, giving them an appealing newness. "Vamos Fugir" especially soars with harsh yet mel. low vocals and mean instrumentals. The cut "Vem Morena." however, may be the hit because of its pungent rhythms and slick melding of funk. At a time when a lot of pop music seeks direction, it's refreshing to know that Gilberto Gil is around. (He'll be performing May 29 at 8 p.m. in Carnegie Hall.) Gilberto Gil: appealing newness Daily News, Friday, May 17, 1985 REVISITED WILLIE COLON/ RUBEN BLADES Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos (Sania) This spectacular 1981 Latin outing was missed when the Grammies and the other major awards were handing out cita tions for excellence in music. It has a commercial tinge, but there is still a strong enough esthetic quality that greatiy lifts the oter- all quality. Yes, it's a salsa clas. sic. Both Willie Colon and Ruben Blades effulgently demonstrate here that salsa remains a major music force despite its recent loss of popularity. (Blades, a singer, composer, lawyer and writer of extraordinary talent. will be performing May 29-30 at the Sounds of Brazil Restaurant Club, 204 Varick St.)