Carlos Barbosa-Lima – Delicado

In Brasil, a country in which its musicians are almost as famous as its footballers, the name of Carlos Barbosa-Lima is uttered in reverential tones by today’s finest guitarists and small wonder why. Mr Barbosa-Lima’s playing embodies the very essence of the instrument’s passion and fire. His style of playing is utterly distinctive and often idiosyncratic. At its best his sound is ravishing and magnificent. Part of the reason is his ability to project charisma by the way that he appears to not simply play, but choreograph his performances – on studio or on stage. This is significant as few guitarists in Brasil or, indeed elsewhere as well, have the ability to project themselves the way the great Carlos Barbosa-Lima does. It’s hardly surprising why…

Track Listing:
1. Tico Tico – 2:58   2. Delicado – 3:29   3. Samba de Orfeu – 3:38   4. A Felicidade – 5:00   5. Odeon – 2:50   6. Manhã De Carnaval – 3:31   7. Interrogando – 2:57   8. Feitiço da Vila – 3:43   9. Samba Do Avião – 3:09   10. Sambolero – 2:37   11. Chovendo na Roseira – 3:28   12. Prelude to Canto de Ossanha – 1:41   13. Canto de Ossanha – 1:41   14. Eu Não Existo Sem Você – 6:10   15. Tristeza – 3:20

Personnel:
Carlos Barbosa-Lima (guitar) , Larry Del Casale (guitar on 1–4,6,9,11,14) , Duduka Da Fonseca (percussion on 1–4,9,11–13) , Nilson Matta (bass on 1–4,9,11,14) , Helio Alves (piano on 1–4,9,11)

Editorial Review:
A tribute to the music from composers from Rio de Janeiro, by Brazilian acoustic guitarist and arranger Carlos Barbosa-Lima.
From Ipanema beach to Corcovado mountain, the natural beauty of Rio de Janeiro is self-evident. It's almost as if the postcard itself was invented to honor this coastal city, with its lagoons, forests, and tropical climate. But the same could also be said for the album, as this city has birthed musical styles such as bossa nova and samba. Indeed, elements of these musical styles can be traced to Africa, but there is no mistaking that Rio's artistic identity is partly defined by these rich genres.
Rio and its musical traditions are the very grist for this production. Delicado is a tribute and testimony to the music of Rio de Janeiro, this renowned and beloved city. ''We wanted to honor the exuberant nature and welcoming spirit of the cariocas,'' said Carlos Barbosa-Lima, the guitar maestro and leader of this production. So, he with his fellow musical partners selected several compositions that were written by cariocas or by those familiar with Rio. All of the arrangements strive to be faithful to the composer's intent but they also incorporate the personal touch of Barbosa-Lima and his musical partners, as they infuse them with different harmonies and textures to make them their own.
And what a band Carlos has gathered: Larry Del Casale (guitar), Duduka da Fonseca (percussion), Nilson Matta (bass), and Helio Alves (piano).
Tico Tico by Zèquinha de Abreu (1880-1935) is the name of a migrating bird that came from Portugal to Brazil and settled in the early 1900s. This animal inspired de Abreu to write this exciting tune that became an international hit in the early 1940s. This arrangement is for two guitars and incorporates the choros style with up-tempo chorinho. There is a colorful interlude with terrific and well-placed percussion effects by Duduka Da Fonseca. The title track Delicado, composed by Waldir Azevedo (1923-1980), the Brazilian composer and master of the choro music form.