Documents from Gilberto Gil's Private Archive

Later, he interpolated "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," changing the chorus to "I can't get no connection, probably because he cares more about one than the other. He offered capsule histories of Brazilian music in both English and Portuguese-ever the diplomat-though Speakers of the latter laughed louder, which made me feel like I was missing something. Attendees of all tongues were aided in the seemingly impossible task of clapping on rhythm without speeding up. FREE July 10-13 All the good cheer distracted me, at least for a while, from thinking about just how weird Gil is. Half-bald and dreadlocked, he looks little like the Predator; he jiggled around onstage in the sexless, ungainly way someone might while alone in his or her own living room; he punctuated half his verses with vocal exclamations more common to seals, porpoises, and small children on playground swings. Admittedly, I groaned when he turned Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" into a samba and followed it with "The Girl From Ipanema" as reggae. He likely thought he was giving the people what they wanted. He was right-but he was also regressing toward the mean. So when he followed with the words "Now, also in a reggae beat, a Beatles song" and crept into "Something," I closed my eyes slowly in shame. But it was actually pretty good. That scenario-a black Brazilian singing the Beatles in a Jamaican style-is the kind of chancy catchall Gil has built a career on. And while his efforts have strayed toward the more facile side of multicultural unity in the past few years, his commitment to the ideal stays firm. Halfway through, he even let loose a seal yelp to prove it. More by Mike Powell Gilberto Gil Bleats Like a Seal At Nokia Theater, Gil's reception is still as clear as ever Kid Creole's Going Places Fruity, winking odes to drugs, money, excess, and disorientation The Evolution of the Silver Jews David Berman grows up (a little) and mellows out (sort of) Indie-Pop Tarts Get Worldly Dodos, El Guincho, and Ruby Suns discover the monotony of excitement Paul Simon: Diamonds on the Soles of His Shoes Grizzly Bear, David Byrne, and host of others join the April BAM residency of New York's quintessential songwriter More buy, sell, trade ads Mel Odius Celebrity I resemble most: "My mom says I look like Jimmy Fallon from Saturday Night Live. How can you argue with your mother? More Personals >> write a comment show/hide comments (0) home news music film arts about contact store rss national advertising free nyc classifieds other vom publications Il voice Copyright © 2008 Village Voice LLC. 36 Cooper Square. New York NY 10003 The Village Voice and Voice are registered trademarks of Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. View our privacy policy,