Teresa Cristina & Grupo Semente: A Música de Paulinho da Viola

 A Gem!

The Samba of Paulinho da Viola is an effective medicine to kill those heartbreaking feelings of saudades. It brings you right back to Rio and its music. One of Paulinho’s secrets is that he never surrendered to any commercial seduction. He is said to have left Portela’s Escola de Samba as a composer because he felt they were becoming too commercial.

Teresa Cristina seems the right person to pay tribute to the master. On her double album she performs Paulinho’s compositions in the most honest way possible. With her accompanying band Grupo Semente she sings her way through 26 of his compositions. Grupo Semente (João Callado, cavaquinho; Ricardo Cotrim, surdo; Pedro Miranda, pandeiro; and Bernardo Dantas, violão) sounds very authentic, thanks to their own uncomplicated arrangements. Teresa Cristina has a lovely samba voice with an unmistakable touch of nostalgia. Of course there are compositions of Paulinho that are very hard to interpret. They are so well known performed by the master himself, that any rendition sounds less than the original.  But Teresa succeeds in keeping things pleasant from track one through track 28. Also because at strategic important moments the “show” is interrupted by two instrumental renditions and various outstanding guest appearances. On disc one we get an instrumental (“Choro Negro”) which features Paulão 7 Cordas (who also produced the album) and Kiko Horta on the accordion. The song comes right after a wonderful version of “Para Um Amor No Recife.” On disc two the instrumental “Inesquecível” adds flutist Eduardo Neves to the guest list. Other guest performers are Paulinho da Viola himself on the beautiful “Depois de Tanto Amor.” Followed by another well chosen performance by the Velha Guarda da Portela, joining in on “Coisas Banais,” where the cuíca of Ovídio Brito completes the warm samba feeling. Also among the highlights on the cd set are the openers of each disc. “Meu Mundo é Hoje (Eu Sou Assim)” and “Argumento” show the intentions Teresa is trying to achieve: performing the music very close the composers ideas. “Para Não Contrariar Você” is accompanied in the most wonderful way, a true joy. “Tudo Se Transformou” welcomes the voice of 72 years old Elton Medeiros, sounding just great with the young singer.Grupo Semente is offered a solo spot on the lovely medley “Conversa de Malandro/ Responsabilidades”, with Pedro Miranda doing the vocals. The clarinet of Rui Alvim changes the color a bit on (a.o.) “Amor à Natureza” and “Minhas Madrugadas,” as does the trombone of Roberto Marques on “Pecado Capital” and a wonderful medley rendition of “Guardei Minha Viola/ Jurar Com Lágrimas.” It’s only on “Sentimentos” that Teresa seems a bit uncomfortable with the phrasing.

This is a very promising debut album by one of the younger singers of the samba repertoire. A nice extra are the chord settings for each song. Teresa Cristina delivers a most enjoyable tribute to the music of Paulinho da Viola here, in her own unpretentious way. A gem.

ALBUM INFORMATION

Teresa Cristina & Grupo Semente
A Música de Paulinho da Viola
DECK Disc 22007-2 (2002)
Time: 47’06” and 46’23”

Tracks:

Disc 1

1. Meu Mundo é Hoje (Eu Sou Assim) (José Batista – Wilson Batista)
2. Coração Imprudente (Paulinho da Viola)
3. Coração Leviano (Paulinho da Viola)
4. Coisas do Mundo, Minha Nega (Paulinho da Viola)
5. Quando Bate Uma Saudade (Paulinho da Viola)
6. Samba do Amor – feat. Conjunto Época De Ouro (Paulinho da Viola – Elton Medeiros – Hermínio Bello de Carvalho)
7. Moema Morenou (Paulinho da Viola – Elton Medeiros)
8. Para Um Amor No Recife (Paulinho da Viola)
9. Choro Negro (Paulinho da Viola – Fernando Costa)
10. No Pagode do Vavá (Paulinho da Viola)
11. Coração Vulgar (Paulinho da Viola)
12. Depois de Tanto Amor – feat. Paulinho Da Viola (Paulinho da Viola)
13. Coisas Banais – feat. Velha Guarda Da Portela (Paulinho da Viola – Candeia)
14. Foi Um Rio Que Passou Em Minha Vida (Paulinho da Viola)

Disc 2

1. Argumento (Paulinho da Viola)
2. Amor à Natureza (Paulinho da Viola)
3. Minhas Madrugadas (Paulinho da Viola – Candeia)
4. Sentimentos (Miginha)
5. Pecado Capital (Paulinho da Viola)
6. Mais Que a Lei da Gravidade (Paulinho da Viola – Capinan)
7. Inesquecível (Paulinho da Viola)
8. Tudo Se Transformou – feat. Elton Medeiros (Paulinho da Viola)
9. Conversa de Malandro/Responsabilidades (Paulinho da Viola)
10. Guardei Minha Viola/Jurar Com Lágrimas (Paulinho da Viola)
11. Onde a Dor Não Tem Razão (Paulinho da Viola – Elton Medeiros)
12. Para Não Contrariar Você (Paulinho da Viola)
13. Para Ver as Meninas – feat. Conjunto Época De Ouro (Paulinho da Viola)
14. Pode Guardar as Panelas/Perdoa – feat. Velha Guarda Da Portela (Paulinho da Viola)