Idilva Germano
Urbanita
Independent (2004)
Time: 44'00"

Who is Idilva Germano? Besides holding a degree in psychology and a PhD in sociology, she is a very talented singer hailing from the shores of Fortaleza, Ceará (northeast Brazil). Germano began her musical career in 1988 with "Becos do Coração," a production in a Fortaleza theatre. In 1989, she performed at Pirata Bar with the show "Café e Cointreau." Other shows began to solidify her name year after year. Her performances were often marked by the high quality of her repertoire associated with her beautiful voice and remarkable enunciation.

So, when in February of 2004 she released Urbanita, the buzz around her music could now be shared by everyone. Urbanita is a magnificent debut album for a singer that should have been in the market a long time ago. In her own words, Germano says this about the difficulty in choosing the repertoire for the album.

You feel like recording everything you like, but that is not possible. You have to limit and select carefully so that the CD looks uniform and not like patched pieces, as in a quilt.

And that careful selection pays off big time. Urbanita has Brazilian classics, new songs and even some U.S. standards. Above all, besides the solid repertoire, the beautiful arrangements by Marcos Maia, Maurício Matos (her husband), Heriberto Porto (of Marimbanda), Pádua Pires and Aroldo Araújo, Germano's voice and renditions are nothing short of spectacular. In just 44 minutes, she is capable of sharing her musical vision and passionate interpretations with class and confidence.

The soft violin, viola and cello introduction in "Parque Araxá" opens the album. The song is urban to the core and talks about the beauty of that neighborhood and the dreams that might live there. The word is a focal point in Germano's singing, whether in her clear articulation or in the music itself, as in "Words." We then have two Brazilian classics. In Vinícius de Moraes's "Medo de Amar," Marcos Maia and Pádua Pires' acoustic guitars provide all the instrumentation along with Adelson Viana's longing accordion solo. For "É Preciso Perdoar," on the other hand, Germano opted for a soft samba beat highlighted with Hoto Júnior and Luiz Duarte's percussion accompaniment. Heriberto Porto's sweet flute solo is paradisiacal, too. Balancing her repertoire choice, the two U.S. standards, "My Funny Valentine" and "It Ain't Necessarily So," prove how qualified Germano is to tackle the best in world music. Her command of the English language is remarkable, too. Matos' arrangement for the Gershwin classic is perfect. Germano's voice is mellow and playful around Marcos Resende's sax tenor solos. Yet another strength in Urbanita comes with the original songs performed here. Besides the first two tracks of the album, we cannot omit the delicious bolero penned by Maurício Matos and José Evangelista Moreira "Dedé," who contributed four tracks to this memorable album. "Te Rejeito" is the song we all needed one time or another in our lives. The wonderful moment of those who were once in love is exposed in this track. Two lovers might be cause and effect, but if there is no longer any love, rejection is the only way out. Carlos Ferreira's clarinet solo is poignant. The Bossa Nova feel in "Conflito" -- thanks again to Porto's flute wizardry -- will bring you sound bites of Jobim's classic "How Insensitive." Climério's lyrics deal with the incomprehensible ways and conflicts between heart and mind.

In the liner notes, Germano says that Urbanita unites songs that translate her "sonorous experience in the multicultural world." Now it is your turn to experience the passion in Germano's world. Urbanita is a strong debut and definitely an addition to my desert-island collection.

Egídio Leitão
June 2004

Track listing:

1. Parque Araxá (Ruy Vasconcelos)
2. Words (Maurício Matos - José Evangelista Moreira "Dedé")
3. Medo de Amar (Vinícius de Moraes)
4. É Preciso Perdoar (Carlos Coqueijo - Alcivando Luz)
5. My Funny Valentine (Richard Rodgers - Lorenz Hart)
6. Te Rejeito (Maurício Matos - José Evangelista Moreira "Dedé")
7. Conflito (Petrúcio Maia - Climério)
8. It Ain't Necessarily So (George Gershwin - Ira Gershwin)
9. Le Flâneur (Pádua Pires)
10. Other Words (Maurício Matos - José Evangelista Moreira "Dedé")
11. Gymnosatie (Maurício Matos - José Evangelista Moreira "Dedé")