Red wine, good friendships. Happily, some things get better with time and that’s certainly the case for Brazilain crooner Emilio Santiago who, ever since his career was resurrected by the ‘Aquarela Brasileira’ series years ago, has established and then redefined his unique place in contemporary Brazilian music.
Some say his sound is a throwback to Brazil’s pre-Bossa 50’s, when another crooner – Dick Farney – reigned supreme over the musical landscape in Rio and beyond. Farney was a staple of young carioca teens back then, on a plateau shared only by Sinatra when the topic of the day turned to the latest and greatest jazz singers. And so it is, still today with Santiago.
Set aside his richly-toned tenor and you’ll discover why. Santiago has depth: in his easy phrasing, in his immutable style. He also hand-picked these 15 songs for a small group approach and then settled into a comfortable relationship with a new producer – guitarist Ricardo Silveira.
It’s a perfect match. As a performer, Silveira in many ways mirrors the best qualities of Santiago’s talent. The nuance and perspective that can only be found in hands of a master of the Brazilian guitar shapes Santiago’s performance in a way that we’ve not heard before: ‘contrast and compliment’ become the ebb and flow of this album and this simple setting absolutely percolates with the creative effect. Here, even the headlines are understated.
We all know that experience shows when it comes to worldly expression and these songs, from Jobim’s reverent ‘Dindi’ to Victor Young’s ‘My Foolish Heart’ (an obvious dedication to Farney) are perfect examples of how a truly great performer can reward us with a simply song.
Here’s a singer at the top of his game: His music invites you to listen and then compels you to stay.
