Daúde
Daúde
Tinder Records 42841102 (1997)
Time: 60'26"

Winner of the prestigious Sharp Award (the Brazilian equivalent of the Grammy) for Best New Artist in 1995, Daúde debuts in the world market with that self-titled album. Drawing strongly from her northeastern roots in Bahia, home of great composers such as Caetano Veloso and Carlinhos Brown, Daúde mixes folkloric styles, such as repente (or improvisation), with a variety of styles characteristic of both Brazilian and world music. Daúde is very Brazilian and yet has tremendous world appeal.

The opening track "Quatro Meninas," finds Daúde rapping with repente artist Miguel Bezerra. Daúde herself is responsible for an unprecedented adaptation of this well-known public domain song. The sounds of a berimbau (a string bow instrument from Bahia) and accordion give a perfect flavor of northeastern Brazilian regional music. With that track, the scene is set for the musical landscape that Daúde will explore throughout this release. In Patativa do Assaré's "Vida Sertaneja," a portrait of the hardships and joys of the hinterlands of Brazil is painted. The choral response is reminiscent of the macumba chants in Afro-Brazilian tradition. The rhythm structure evokes the cadenced drumming of maracatú, another music and dance form traditionally present during the Carnaval season in northeast Brazil. With Jorge Ben Jor's classic hit "Chove Chuva." Daúde switches her journey to Brazilian popular music. That theme will continue with Caetano Veloso's "Marinheiro Só" and "Objeto Não Identificado," a song made famous by Gal Costa. With Carlinhos Brown's "Véu Vavá," Daúde pays tribute to her father, one of members of the famous group Timbalada. It is the same song that also appears in a funky extended dance remix at the end of the album, culminating this musical amalgam.

Whether singing MPB, repente, reggae as in "Hoje Eu Quero Sair Só," or baião as in "Anna," Daúde's music is universal with her unique singing style. Her voice adapts to the various genres like a chameleon, and she is at ease with whatever she sings. Daúde takes Brazilian and world music to new heights.

Egídio Leitão
October 2003

A modified version of this review first appeared in Luna Kafé in August 1997.

Track listing:

1. Quatro Meninas (Folclore)
2. Vida Sertaneja (Patativa do Assaré)
3. Chove Chuva (Jorge Ben)
4. Marinheiro Só (Caetano Veloso)
5. O Pensador (George Israel - Dulce Quental)
6. Véu Vavá (Celso Fonseca - Carlinhos Brown)
7. Sozinhos de Novo (Celso Fonseca)
8. Há (Luiz Tatit)
9. Hoje Eu Quero Sair Só (Mu Shebabi - Caxa Aragão - Lenine)
10. Objeto Não Identificado (Caetano Veloso)
11. Anna (Baião de Ana) (R. Vatro - F. Giordano)
12. Véu Vavá - Remix (Celso Fonseca - Carlinhos Brown)