Josee Koning: Doce Presença

Back on Track

It has been a long time (2016) since we heard from Josee Koning here on MúsicaBrasileira. The singer from the beautiful city of Haarlem (Holland) shows up again with an album that collects beauty and originality. Josee Koning’s voice seems to be at its very best. A cleverly chosen repertoire puts an extra spotlight on the vocals.

The partner in crime on this album is Ivan Lins. Josee and Ivan met way back in 1978 after a concert of Ivan in Rio de Janeiro. They slowly built up a strong friendship. When Josee Koning mentioned she wanted to do another album with Brazilian Music, Ivan surprised her by offering to produce that album. And so it happened. In July and August 2022, Josee and Ivan hit the studio of Rui Veloso/Henrique Macide in Lisbon, Portugal. Accompanying musicians are, first of all, Cláudio César Ribeiro. The Brazilian guitarist (living in Portugal since 1999) adds to the bossa nova air that dominates this album. On bass we hear Leo Espinosa from Cuba, also living in Portugal. The drummer is British, but Portugal-located Chris Wells. Mainly jazz musicians, this trio has worked with Ivan Lins before. Special mention also for the phlegmatic percussionist Bart Fermie from Holland. He shows a tasteful and skillful approach to percussion on four tracks. Guitarist Leonardo Amuedo, as always, impresses on a couple of tracks, as does pianist Hans Vroomans (Holland). These three musicians are no strangers to the musical environment of Josee Koning.

The album starts off light and playful with the classic “Tico-Tico No Fubá,” maybe best known by the interpretation of the Portuguese/Brazilian superstar singing actress Carmen Miranda. The song is here carried by the percussion of Chris Wells and vocal percussion of Ivan Lins. Josee Koning shows that her voice is flexible enough to make the song her own with no allusions to other renditions. How she sings on tracks like “Paciência” (Lenine/Dudu Falcão) is nothing short of astonishingly beautiful. Wonderful cello also on this track (Annie Tangberg). “O Universo na Cabeça do Alfinete” (Lenine/Lula Queiroga) is only accompanied by guitar and bass and can also be listed among the most beautiful moments in the album, as is the perfectly sung “Cupido,” a composition by Ivan’s son Cláudio Lins. Continuing the moments of beauty is Josee’s tribute to her first husband, songwriter Lennaert Nijgh, in a song composed by Josee Koning and Martin Fondse with Portuguese lyrics by Cláudio Lins. The voice of Ivan Lins is, of course, also present on this album in two tracks. The odd duck of the album (in my opinion, that is…), “Plus Fort Que Nous” is sung in French. It’s music from the French movie “Un Homme et une Femme” (1966). The other song is the 2006 live recording title track that closes the album, “Doce Presença” (Ivan Lins/Vitor Martins).

An album that certainly was worth waiting for, this is a wonderful collaboration between two friends who understand each other very well through their mutual love for Brazilian Music—the one with his wonderful job as producer and the other with her beautiful mature voice. The album’s booklet also presents all the information one can wish for. It’s maybe her most impressive album so far, although that’s always a subjective qualification.

ALBUM INFORMATION

JOSEE KONING
Doce Presença (featuring Ivan Lins)
ZenneZ Records ZR2024007 (2024)
Time: 49’14”

Tracks:

1. Tico-Tico no Fubá (Zequinha de Abreu)
2. Paciência (Dudu Falcão – Lenine)
3. Sei Lá Porque (Celso Viáfora)
4. Plus Fort que Nous (Francis Lai – Pierre Barouh)
5. Cínica (Ivan Lins – Joyce Moreno)
6. Quase que Eu Fui Feliz (Celso Viáfora – Chris Wells)
7. O Universo na Cabeça do Alfinete (Lenine – Lula Queiroga)
8. Cupido (Cláudio Lins)
9. Samba de Vison (Michel Legrand – Ivan Lins)
10. Nada Além (Ivan Lins – Olga Savary)
11. Cântico dos Cânticos (Cláudio Lins – Josee Koning – Martin Fondse)
12. Bônus track: Doce Presença (Ivan Lins – Vitor Martins)