It just had to happen and here it is: a live recording by guitarist/singer/ composer Celso Fonseca, available on CD and of course also on DVD. Especially for us, who live outside Brazil, these live registrations give an opportunity to hear our favourite artists live in concert.

Celso Fonseca doesn’t disappoint. The repertoire is from his most recent albums with a musical emphasis on his latest Feriado. The recording is more than decent; although at some moments I’m afraid the voice sounds a bit too much upfront. But the instruments all sound very warm. It’s fun to hear Celso Fonseca’s guitar sound so clear when he plays with the bossa nova rhythm and harmonies while accompanying his own vocals. He also shows a bit more of his guitar skills with some nice soloing. Celso’s band does a good job, too. The bass lines that are laid down by Fábio Lessa appear noticeably accurate and deserve special listening attention. On drums is Fábio Santos, solid and with a contemporary sound. Jorjão Barreto (on keyboards) also dedicates his presence to Celso Fonseca’s musical ideas. It’s clear that those ideas seek for a bossa influenced jazzy sound. This all comes together in a beautiful built-up version of “Queda.” It’s one of the most pleasant moments on the CD. A sharp performing horn section (Fernando Trocado (reeds), Arimatéia (trumpet) and Serjão de Jesus (trombone)) takes care of some serious accents on several tracks. Above that, there are a few guests to cheer up the evening. First there is Gilberto Gil, an old employer of Celso. I could have done without his reggae addiction, though. “Is This Love” from Bob Marley doesn’t fit in with the rest of the program. Gil’s second participation is on his huge hit “Palco.” The voice of Gilberto Gil isn’t in its best shape. We have more luck with Roberta Sá. She’s the guest during a little acoustic solo set from Celso. “A Voz de Coração” benefits from the charm of her timbre. Third guest is Ana Carolina on “Um Dia de Domingo.” Unfortunately the somewhat raw voice of the singer isn’t able to meet with the friendly character of Celso Fonseca’s vocals. Because of this contrast the song loses part of its kindness. But there are plenty of satisfying moments to enjoy. The renditions of “Polaróides” and “Ela Só Pensa em Beijar” certainly are among those.

With this CD you get an attractive chance to catch up with Celso Fonseca’s work this past decade. It doesn’t really emit a lot of importance in the discography of the musician, but it’s a nice addition. Celso obviously had a good time with this project: a new CD/DVD has already been recorded…

To learn more about this album and artist, please see Celso Fonseca's website.

K.S.