Fado Curvo

Amazon.com
Those unfamiliar with fado--that exquisitely mournful strain of balladry that is to Portugal what tango is to Argentina and flamenco is to Spain--will probably want to acquaint themselves more intimately with the genre after hearing Mariza's gorgeous album Fado Curvo. Following up on her 2001 debut, Fado em Mim, which catapulted the young singer from Lisbon to a pinnacle of worldwide critical and popular acclaim, Fado Curvo will delight fado aficionados and novices alike. The album showcases Mariza's startling vocal agility—almost operatic in its power and range on songs like "O Silencio de Guitarra" and "Calaleiro Monge," and yet playful on the title song and starkly expressive on "Retrato." The music, like Mariza's debut, is gorgeous-the chiming 12-string Portuguese guitar and acoustic guitar are enough to transport the listener to a smoke-filled Lisbon tavern. But the real joy of Fado Curvo is that it's a more personal and distinctive album than its predecessor. The production, this time by Carlos Maria Trindade, breathes more organically, with surprising touches like the muted trumpet on "O Deserto" and the stark cello and piano accompaniment of "Retrato." Meanwhile, Mariza herself, singing a collection of beautiful Portuguese poetry, sounds even more as if she is baring her own soul on songs like "Vielas de Alfama" and "Primavera," making this forward-thinking album both an excellent document of modern fado and a sign that bodes well for the world's next great fadista. --Ezra Gale

Tracks:

O silencio da guitarra
Cavaleiro monge
Feira de Castro
Vielas de Alfama
Retrato
Fado curvo
Memino do Bairro Negro
Caravelas
Entre o rio e a razao
O deserto
Primavera
Aneis do meu cabelo

Customer Reviews:

The second with Carlos Maria Trinidade........2007-06-29

You will listen the difference, is not traditional fado sometimes, but this singer, you know, is one of the greatest voice of fado.
O silencio da guitarra open the cd but the greatest moments are Cavaleiro monge, the words are from a poem of Fernando Pessoa, but the best song here is for me Vielas de Alfama who talk about the famous place in Lisbon where the fado was born.

Passionate.......2005-08-07

Beautiful, beautiful music. 29 year-old Mariza revives Portugal's Fado music. Fado was originally brought to Portugal as a dance by African slaves in the 19th century; later, as the Portugal empire slowly declined, white poets, singers and players began to create a new type of music. Fado songs are generally accompanied by one classical guitar and embody lyrics filled with themes of death, despair, heartache, betrayal and destiny. Mariza's interpretations are passionate and convey these themes even to those who do not undertand the language.

Classic Fado!.......2004-10-07

Mariza hits again with her deep and colorful voice the classic popular fado. Perharps the nearest future Rainha do Fado. After Fado em mim; (still her best album) Fado Curvo hits new roads. Once you listen her voice you just become fan and addict to fado. Portugal has probably the best female singers in the world, Misia, Dulce Pontes, Mafalda, etc. real divas that make me think I'm very affortunate in speake portuguese and share not only their voices, and melodies, but the feeling that embrace each of this beatiful songs.

Princess Mariza.......2004-07-13

I fell in love with her voice when I heard her "fado tango" Por Ti on "Fado: Exquisite Passion" compilation. I was fascinated by her expressiveness, by her delivery built on contrast (i think CONTRAST is the best word to describe Mariza)- now her voice is so heartrending and dramatic that it pierces your heart, and then, at the very next note, soft as silk, smoother than smooth, effortlessly following the lovely melody, and the intonation even a bit flirtatious...

Fado Curvo, produced by Carlos Maria Trindade from Madredeus, is full of intoxicating, catchy tunes with extremely beautiful arrangements, often with notable influence of jazz and African music, when you listen to them you can almost see lonesome roads along the sea at sunset, red-roofed houses of Lisbon, vast sandy beaches and moonlit valleys... My favourite song is, perhaps, Cavaleiro Monge, sombre and melancholic, with lyrics by no less a person than Fernando Pessoa. Vielas de Alfama is dark and velvety like the nights of Lisbon, Retrato is sheer sensuality, Entre o Rio e a Razao is life-asserting and sunny, Deserto, with an incredible muted trumpet and fliscorn, is deeply dramatic... in this last one, Mariza's voice is most expressive. She is not only a marvellous singer but also a good actress, and her only drawback is that - perhaps due to the lack of experience - she often overacts. With a vocal agility like that, she can attain a better command of her voice (and her temperament)and find the best way to convey the mood of each song. She just needs a bit more sense of proportion and, as it has already been said, better choice of material. And with all that, Princess Mariza is sure to become the true new Queen of Fado.

Great Album.......2004-04-11

Hello,

I bought her first album in 2002 and love it. So, as soon as I saw that Mariza had a new album out I snapped it up. This is an excellent album and she has an absolutly beautiful voice. I am not Portuguese, nor do I speak the language; but her albums (and good music regardless of the language) transends those barriers easily. It makes a great intro album to the Fado genre!

Fado Curvo
Average customer rating:
Fado Curvo
Mariza
Manufacturer: World Conn
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Portugal | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
General | International | Styles | Music
International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00008MONH
Release Date: 2003-04-14

Tracks:

O Silio da Guitarra
Cavaleiro Monge
Feira de Castro
Vielas de Alfama
Retrato
Fado Curvo
Menino Do Bairro Negro
Caravelas
Entre O Rio E a Raz
O Deserto
Primavera
An Do Meu Cabelo

Average customer rating:

Here's what the bonus tracks are

Fado Curvo
Mariza
Manufacturer: Toshiba EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000ZP56O
Release Date: 2004-02-09

Tracks:

O Silencio Da Guitarra
Cavaleiro Monge
Feira De Castro
Vielas De Alfama
Retrato
Fado Curvo
Menino Do Bairro Negro
Caravelas
Entre O Rio E A Razao
O Deserto
Primavera
Aneis Do Meu Cabelo
O Gente Da Minha Terra
Barco Negro

Album Details

Japanese Release featuring Two Bonus Tracks: "o Gente Da Minha Terra", and "Barco Negro".

Customer Reviews:

Here's what the bonus tracks are.......2004-08-18

This is a worthy successor to her debut album _Fado Em Mim_ and is just as good. Fado is similar to Spanish flamenco music (I mean "old school flamenco") in that both genres are stifled by tradition. There are people who resist new songs being written and think that the best performers died a long time ago. The New Flamenco movement saved flamenco and made it live again. Fado desperately needs such a movement. I had hoped that Ala Dos Namorados would start it, but they turned out to be a pop band. They are excellent, but they are not the vanguards of a Novo Fado movement. Mariza is fado's bright hope, a talented visionary who will breathe life into this worthy genre and cause it to live for future generations.
I can really add nothing that hasn't been said in the reviews of the regular US release of this CD. The "bonus tracks" on this CD are VERY disappointing. They are - "O Gente Da Minha Terra" and "Barco Negro" from the _Fado Em Mim_ CD. They are great songs, especially the amazing "Barco Negro", but since they were released on her first CD, there is no reason at all to buy this Japanese import. It's also copy-protected.

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