Maria Bethânia & Zeca Pagodinho: De Santo Amaro a Xerém

Maria Bethânia & Zeca Pagodinho
De Santo Amaro a Xerém
Biscoito Fino BF578-2 (2018)
Time : 96’44″ (2 cds)

Let’s face it: the musical styles (both music and vocals) of singers Zeca Pagodinho and Maria Bethânia are too far apart to have them forced to sound together. Rio’s famous record label Biscoito Fino must have thought otherwise. And, of course, the result of this collaboration isn’t bad at all. But the albums Zeca Pagodinho and Maria Bethânia release under their own names are so much better.

After opening the show together (recorded in São Paulo’s Credicard Hall, May 2018), Zeca gets a set to do his own thing. Can’t help it to find his set sounding a bit perfunctory and sterile. Especially compared with Bethânia’s set that follows Zeca’s, and hers is so much more inspired. With a well-chosen repertoire, she puts her mark on this event in her very own and inimitable way. It’s with her set that one might start to wonder why this collaboration was born. Bethânia’s set must have inspired Pagodinho to give that little extra. All of a sudden he starts to sound great again. Next the show starts to sound somewhat messy, with the exception of “Naquela Mesa” that features Zeca Pagodinho’s voice. A gem! Unfortunately, the duets just don’t sound good enough to rescue the album. If I would have to give the album a qualification between 1-10, it would be a 7… Of course the event is also captured on DVD. The track lists on the CD and DVD are the same.