Música Ligeira (Live) / Musica Ligeira (Live)

Música Ligeira is a trio with a very interesting concept: to interpret Brazilian music with virtuosity in an acoustic setting, where abusive appropriation of culture for commercial use is banned. On the other hand, the group doesn't mind including jazz or contemporary references in their mix, as in Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover," with mouth percussion in the hip-hop way or in the flat-picking strummed steel-string guitar in samba rhythms (Brazilians usually play with their fingers on a nylon-string guitar).

In an humorous recreation of the old radio days, they perform the backing vocal lines, deliciously dated, that were the people's delight in the old auditorium shows. The album, recorded live at the Teatro Crowne Plaza, in SP, is refreshingly devoid from studio tricks and effects, with just the trio's virtuosity at the mandolin, violões, cello, percussion, sax, harmonica, violaxo, and voice.

The essence of their work is samba, even delivering an exquisite "Desafinado," with a vocal technique directly reminiscent of João Gilberto's, and a unique string arrangement. They also perform other songs in bossa rhythm, such as "Here's Tomorrow," visiting pop hits in a Brazilian way and very original way. In a freewheeling ride through an unprejudiced kaleidoscope of rhythms and styles, they perform bossa, choro, forró, baião, and tropicalista classics (Gil's "Aquele Abraço") on a release in which the artistic sincerity is as evident as their enjoyment in doing what they do.