Nó em Pingo D’Água: Nó Na Garganta

Nó’s Nice Lump in the Throat

Produced by Mário Sève and Celsinho Silva, Nó na Garganta is the fourth album by Nó em Pingo D’Água. The group’s formation for this recording was Celsinho Silva (percussion), Mário Sève (sax and flute), Rodrigo Lessa (mandolin and guitar), Rogério Souza (acoustic guitar) and Papito (bass). Except for a small string orchestra on track 1 and percussion guests Leo Leobons, Jorge Filho, Jorginho do Pandeiro and Eduardo Silva on the last track, two very special guests perform with Nó: Guinga and Leila Pinheiro.

The opening track, “Nó na Garganta,” has all the stops and whistles of a Guinga composition: haunting, endearing, complex, melancholic and, above all, beautiful. Guinga’s vocals and acoustic guitar are a special treat. The track also cites a portion of Guinga and Eduardo Gudin’s “Conversar Comigo.” Except for that track and “Tristorosa,” all other music featured here was written by Nó em Pingo D’Água members. About “Tristorosa,” incidentally, it is interesting to note that even though it is credited to Epaminondas Villalba, that is, in fact, an pseudonym for Heitor Villa-Lobos. This seresta, with special lyrics by poet Cacaso written for Nó, finds in Leila Pinheiro’s voice a remarkable rendition. Overall, the beat in this album is very fast paced and typical of the neo-choro style. It is choro with a hot edge. The pandeiro work by Celsinho Silva, for example, stays prominent in every track without taking away the beauty of the other instruments and solos. “Pagode Jazz Sardinha’s Club,” “Conversa Fiada” and “Exaltação,” for example, are vibrant and intoxicating with all musicians giving unforgettable performances. The waltzes “Tristorosa” and “Valsa da Noite” take listeners back to a time of romance and passionate lives.

Ivan Lins had these words about Nó na Garganta:

“I suggest a tranquil place with proper ventilation, lighting (the less the better) and good company. And after listening to this wonderful CD, anyone with live and free sensitivity will take possession of Cacaso’s lyrics in ‘Tristorosa’.”

You can hear samples of tracks in Nó na Garganta at this page.

ALBUM INFORMATION

Nó em Pingo D’Água
Nó na Garganta
Independent 0013NPD07 (1999)
Time: 51’40”

Tracks: