João Bosco: Mano que Zuera

As Good as Usual

— When João Bosco releases a new album, you know what you get. He’s one of the artists who manages to keep a steady high quality of music. It’s a matter of good taste, outstanding craftsmanship and picking the right musicians to accompany you. Here’s Mano que Zuera, the first new studio album in 8 years.

Singer, guitarist and composer João Bosco de Freitas Mucci (Ponte Nova, Minas Gerais; 1946) reached the age of 71 and still sounds amazingly good. His flexible voice doesn’t seem to suffer from aging, neither does his approach to music. He keeps on mixing Brazilian tradition with his own successful style. With his remarkable acoustic guitar technique, he gives each song the typical João Bosco touch. It’s not different on Mano Que Zuera. Among the accompanying musicians we find guitarist Ricardo Silveira, bassist Guto Wirtti, drummer Jurim Moreira and percussionist Armando Marçal. Not the least when it comes to adding instrumental support to the music of Bosco.

There’s a nice rendition of “Sinhá,” the song João wrote with Chico Buarque. With Luis Barcelos on mandolin, Ricardo Silveira on acoustic guitar and Marcello Gonçalves on the 7-string acoustic guitar, this track is among the most beautiful ones on the album, together with the opening “Fim” with Jacques Morelenbaum on cello and Marcelo Caldi on accordion. The song has a touching instrumental second half. Leave it to João Bosco to start an album with a song called “Fim” (End). “Coisa n°2” is João Bosco on his inimitable acoustic guitar, singing wordless vocals on this Moacir Santos composition from 1963. Another noticeable song is “João do Pulo/Clube da Esquina n°2.” With this song João Bosco pays tribute to Milton Nascimento by quoting “Clube da Esquina,” with Armando Marçal on percussion and Guto Wirtti on acoustic bass. It’s a joy to hear João Bosco in such great shape, also on this song. There’s a very special guest on this album. Bosco’s daughter Júlia (1980) sings a duet with her father on “Ultra Leve.”

João Bosco and his music don’t age, they stay the same. He never disappoints his fans. Mano que Zuera is no exception; it’s another fantastic album in the huge discography of the beloved artist.

ALBUM INFORMATION

João Bosco
Mano que Zuera
MP,B Som Livre 4567-2 (2017)
Time: 54’37”

Tracks:

Fim (João Bosco – Francisco Bosco)
Duro na Queda (João Bosco – Aldir Blanc)
Mano que Zuera (João Bosco – Francisco Bosco)
João do Paulo (João Bosco – Aldir Blanc) /Clube da Esquina nº 2 (Milton Nascimento – Lô Borges – Márcio Borges)
Ultra Leve (João Bosco – Arnaldo Antunes) – w/ Júlia Bosco
Onde estiver (João Bosco – Francisco Bosco)
Sinhá (João Bosco – Chico Buarque)
Pé-de-Vento (João Bosco – Roque Ferreira)
Coisa nº 2 (Moacir Santos)
Nenhum Futuro (João Bosco – Francisco Bosco)
Quantos Rios (João Bosco – Francisco Bosco)