Listening to: Rosa Passos

1993

read more

Festa is one of Rosa Passos most beloved albums. That could be easily understood because seven out of the 12 songs in the album are written by Rosa Passos herself along with her long-time collaborator Fernando de Oliveira (co-writing six of those songs) and one other with Aldir Blanc. The remaining five songs come from Edu Lobo, Djavan, Vadico and Noel Rosa, Aldyr Blanc and Moacyr Luz and Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.

How can one resist the soft guitar chords in the introduction of "Dunas"? The song paints the end of summer in Salvador, Bahia. The beauty of the scenery is matched with the smooth melody that flows like calm waters. Pink orchids, yellow flowers, bugs and birds populate the city. The entire city is blooming with colors and scents, and all is captured in the beautiful verses in the song. Gilson Peranzzetta's keyboard accompaniment in this track is memorable. Following this great opener, Edu Lobo's classic "Candeias" features Idriss Boudrioua's alto sax solo and Itamar Assiere's piano accompaniment. It is yet another song describing the beautiful Bahian landscape, the bright moon and white sails as if in a religious procession. Lula Galvão has a great acoustic guitar solo in this track. For "Salada Tropical," the bouncy arrangement is highlighted with Pirulito's tamborins with great percussion. The lyrics are poetry in music in essence. Besides talking about poetry directly, the song also mentions Guinga and Aldir Blanc, and in the last verse the unabashed mention to João Gilberto. Love songs with an evocative accordion solo ("Juras"), a mambo that turns into a swinging samba ("Festa") and the effusive and playful mixture of French and Portuguese ("Paris: De Santos Dumont aos Travestis") are just some of the memorable songs presented in this excellent album.
ALBUM PERSONNEL

Producer: Paulinho Albuquerque

Erivelton Silva: drums
Gilson Peranzzetta: keyboards
Idriss Boudrioua: alto sax
Itamar Assiere: piano
Jorge Helder: bass
Lula Galvão: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Marcio Montarroyos: trumpet
Ovidio Brito: percussion
Paulo Guimarães: flutes
Pirulito: percussion
Rosa Passos: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Sizão Machado: acoustic bass



Tracklist
All tracks by Fernando de Oliveira and Rosa Passos except where noted.

1.Dunas
2.Candeias (Edu Lobo)
3.Salada Tropical
4.Juras
5.Festa
6.Causa Perdida (Aldir Blanc - Rosa Passos)
7.De Flor em Flor (Djavan)
8.Chuva de Verão
9.Feitiço da Vila (Vadico - Noel Rosa)
10.Paris de Santos Dummont aos Travestis (Aldir Blanc - Moacyr Luz)
11.Outono
12.Amor em Paz (Tom Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes) [Incidental music: Summer of 42 (Michel LeGrand)]


1996

read more

Pano Pra Manga is another of Rosa Passos' albums with a high content of original compositions with her collaborator Fernando de Oliveira. Rosa Passos' name is in 10 of the 13 tracks. Besides Fernando de Oliveira, she pairs up with the great poet Paulo César Pinheiro as well as other stellar songwriters, such as Sérgio Natureza, Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins. In addition to original compositions, the album also features classics by Chico Buarque -- and he sings in duet with Rosa in "Com Açúcar, Com Afeto" -- Tom Jobim and Ary Barroso and Luiz Peixoto.

"Verão" is one of those beautiful landscapes that anyone familiar with Passos and Oliveira's compositions should recognize. The song is, in a nutshell, a scene on a beach with surfboards, seagulls and green waters. Contrasting with this serene and light-hearted image, the song ends with more serious verses stating that it rains a lot in the singer's heart. Lula Galvão's guitar solo and Marco Brito's piano accompaniment are beautiful. As for "Samba com Pressa," as the name implies, it is a fast samba with elaborate lyrics making use of alliteration with the sound of the letter S. That literary style plays very well with the fast tempo of the song. Simply put, it's gorgeous. Also just as beautiful is the duet with Chico Buarque in "Com Açúcar, Com Afeto." Though Rosa Passos has not recorded a lot of material from the Buarque extensive repertoire, whenever she does it, she performs Buarque's music exceptionally well. In this case, the combination of her voice with Buarque's soft tones is dreamy. The title track is yet another remarkable tune. Not only is the samba beat contagious, the lyrics by Paulo César Pinheiro are outstanding. He uses the word "pano" (cloth, literally) in several different connotations. Quite the touch of a master poet! Another interesting lyrics featured is the one for "Gesto." The song uses general ideas associated with a woman's gestation period with the genesis of a new song. Also heartwarming is the dedication in "Abajur Lilás" to Brazil's great singer Dalva de Oliveira. Rosa Passos is joined here by Ivan Lins.

Pano Pra Manga is full of pleasant surprises from beginning to end. From the repertoire to the special guests, the album is never short in beauty.

ALBUM PERSONNEL

Producer: Paulinho Albuquerque

Andréa Ernest Dias: flutes
Armando Marçal: percussion
Carlos Malta: flutes
Eduardo Pereira: viola
Erivelton Silva: drums
Glauco Fernandes: violin
Iura Ranevsky: cello
Jorge Helder: bass
Leandro Braga: string arrangements
Leo Ortiz: violin
Lula Galvão: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Marcio Montarroyos: trumpet
Marco Brito: piano
Nema Antunes: electric bass
Pedro Amorim: bandolim
Rosa Passos: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Sergio Galvão: saxes


Tracklist

All tracks by Fernando de Oliveira and Rosa Passos except where noted.

1.Verão
2.Samba com Pressa
3.Com Açúcar, com Afeto (Chico Buarque) - w/ Chico Buarque
4.Amorosa
5.Pano pra Manga (Paulo César Pinheiro - Rosa Passos)
6.Gesto (Sérgio Natureza - Rosa Passos)
7.Abajur Lilás (Fernando de Oliveira - Ivan Lins - Rosa Passos) - w/ Ivan Lins
8.Chovendo na Roseira (Tom Jobim)
9.É Luxo Só (Ary Barroso - Luiz Peixoto)
10.Espelhos
11.Barcos
12.Samba Sem Você
13.Minuano (Vitor Martins - Rosa Passos)

1997

read more

Letra & Música - Ary Barroso is the third release from Lumiar Discos entirely dedicated to one composer. Previous albums covered the works of Antônio Carlos Jobim (with Leny Andrade & Cristovão Bastos) and Chico Buarque (with João Nogueira & Marinho Boffa). The idea behind the series is very simple: focus on one composer's music and lyrics only, no collaborations. Since Ary Barroso is better known for the gorgeous melodies he wrote, this album is even more special because here you also have a chance to enjoy Ary Barroso, the lyricist. What selections and performances we find in Letra & Música - Ary Barroso.

Ary Barroso is probably best known for his exultation sambas singing the beauties of Brazil. In that vein, we have the classics "No Tabuleiro da Baiana," "Rio de Janeiro (Isto É o Meu Brasil)," "Isto Aqui o Que É," "Na Baixa do Sapateiro" and the most famous of all, "Aquarela do Brasil." In addition to that, Ary Barroso was also a fantastic songwriter when he wrote about people and emotions. When he sang about women, you could truly feel the weight in his words. In "Morena Boca de Ouro," for example, you can experience the fire that woman brings when she dances and passes by. Rosa Passos' voice adds a certain vitality to the lyrics with her soft tone and enunciation. It is all very sensual. Another nice moment in this release is the smooth duet of Rosa Passos and Emílio Santiago. Their voices do match very well and make the exchange in "No Tabuleiro da Baiana" more effective than other artists' attempts. A difficult thing in any production that covers such a well known composer is the choice of the repertoire. In the case of Ary Barroso, his works are so widely known in Brazil that sometimes consumers end up getting the same song selection from album to album. It is probably because it is safe to record what the people know well. I am glad that Rosa Passos stretched those boundaries and gave us a gem such as "Ocultei." Not only are the lyrics beautiful, but the arrangement is superior. Stamato's piano solo is gorgeous. Another memorable piano solo is in the classic "Pra Machucar Meu Coração," except that in this track Brito is responsible for the beauty in the piano accompaniment. Even though Lula Galvão is prominently featured in all tracks, it is nice to see that other musicians get their share of the glory in this album. Take, for example, Carlos Malta's flute pirouettes in "Faceira." Very nice indeed.

ALBUM PERSONNEL

Producer: Almir Chediak

Armando Marçal: percussion
Carlos Malta: flutes
Erivelton Silva: drums
Hamleto Stamato: piano
Idriss Boudrioua: alto sax
Jorge Helder: bass
Lula Galvão: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Marco Brito: piano
Rosa Passos: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Sérgio Galvão: soprano sax
Zé Nogueira: soprano sax


Tracklist

All tracks by Ary Barroso.

1.Morena Boca de Ouro
2.Folha Morta
3.No Tabuleiro da Baiana - w/ Emílio Santiago
4.Inquietação
5.Foi Ela
6.Rio de Janeiro (Isto É o Meu Brasil)
7.Isto Aqui o Que É
8.Ocultei
9.Pra Machucar Meu Coração
10.Faceira
11.Camisa Amarela
12.Na Baixa do Sapateiro
13.Aquarela do Brasil


1999

read more

After three years since her last album with original songs (Pano Pra Manga), Rosa Passos released Morada do Samba with a good repertoire . Eight tracks here give listeners Rosa Passos' fine songwriting skills. The remainder of the album contain music by Walmir Palma (one of Rosa's collaborators), Djavan, Dorival Caymmi and Paulinho da Viola. As a preview of a forthcoming album with Dorival Caymmi's music (Rosa Passos Canta Caymmi), Rosa selected two classics by the most famous Bahia composer: "Lá Vem a Baiana" and "Saudade da Bahia."

Opening this release, a bouncy and brassy arrangement of Djavan's "Beiral" gets things going in a lively way. Idriss Boudrioua's alto sax, Sérgio Galvão's tenor sax and Nelson Oliveira's trumpet spicy up Lula Galvão's arrangement. Taking things down a notch to a lovely slow samba, we then hear "Esmeraldas," the first of Rosa's original songs in the album co-written with her long-time collaborator Fernando de Oliveira. The same team still gives us three other songs here. "Esmeraldas" makes reference to that moment one falls in love upon "stumbling onto those green eyes." It is a fall from which one never recovers. The second Rosa/Fernando song, "Pequena Música Noturna" reminisces about a rainy night when two people fell in passionate love. Picking up on the rain theme and paying tribute to Tom Jobim, Rosa and Fernando dedicate "Roseira" to Tom. The music and lyrics are clearly echoing Tom Jobim's own "Chovendo na Roseira." It is a beautiful and touching tribute in which Gilson Peranzzetta's piano and Ricardo Pontes flute solos take us all waltzing. The last of Rosa/Fernando's collaboration in the album, "Alma de Blues," is another love song. Even though the lyrics claim that "the theme as always -- our love -- is getting old fashioned," it is really not true. How can we tire of hearing Rosa singing beautiful verses such as those? Another partnership featured here is the one between Rosa Passos and Walmir Palma: "Primavera" and "Morada do Samba." The bolero "Primavera" is my favorite. It adds another season to Rosa's repertoire (she already has "Outono" and "Verão" in previous albums) and blooms both musically and lyrically. The words paint images of flowers, butterflies and birds as well as Monet and Stravinsky. Spring, the lyrics say, is an exuberant woman, and Peranzzetta's arrangement and accordion accompaniment fit this song like a silk glove. A third partnership presented here is Rosa Passos with Sergio Natureza: "Marco" and "Nada Igual." Now, really saving the best for last, Rosa Passos presents us with one of Paulinho da Viola's most beautiful songs, "Retiro." As the last verses go, "you know my soul and whenever you feel like it, you come by to see me." Morada do Samba is a good way to get to know Rosa Passos' soul. You will likely come back for more after you hear this album.

ALBUM PERSONNEL

Producers: Almir Chediak & Rosa Passos

Celso de Almeida: drums
Dom Chacal: percussion
Eduardo Neves: tenor sax
Erivelton Silva: drums
Fábio Torres: piano
Gilson Peranzzetta: piano, accordion, arrangements
Idriss Boudrioua: alto sax
Jaguara: percussion
Jorge Helder: bass
Lula Galvão: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Marcos Vicente: percussion
Nema Antunes: bass
Nelson Oliveira: trumpet
Ricardo Pontes: flutes
Roberto Marques: trombone
Rosa Passos: acoustic guitar, arrangements
Sérgio Galvão: tenor sax


Tracklist

1.Beiral (Djavan)
2.Esmeraldas (Fernando de Oliveira - Rosa Passos)
3.Pequena Música Noturna (Fernando de Oliveira - Rosa Passos)
4.Roseira (Fernando de Oliveira - Rosa Passos) - Incidental music: Chovendo na Roseira (Tom Jobim)
5.Primavera (Walmir Palma - Rosa Passos)
6.Morada do Samba (Walmir Palma - Rosa Passos)
7.Alma de Blues (Fernando de Oliveira - Rosa Passos)
8.Marco (Sergio Natureza - Rosa Passos)
9.Lá Vem a Baiana (Dorival Caymmi)
10.Nada Igual (Sergio Natureza - Rosa Passos)
11.Calmaria (Walmir Palma)
12.Saudade da Bahia (Dorival Caymmi)
13.Retiro (Paulinho da Viola)



2001

read more

A combination of new and old material, Me and My Heart is a heartwarming release featuring only Rosa Passos (voice and acoustic guitar) and Paulo Paulelli (bass and mouth percussion). Recorded in only 4 days, the album sounds like a private performance with Rosa in your own living room. The album was first released in the international market and a year later in Brazil with the title Eu e Meu Coração.

This album contains a few songs previously released by Rosa Passos in some of her other albums, but with different arrangements. Instead of orchestral settings, we hear just voice, acoustic guitar and bass. Collectors and Rosa Passos fervent fans of course love the opportunity to hear her singing her standard repertoire, especially when that includes original songs such as "Juras," "Dunas" and "Minuano." Out of the batch of tunes not previously heard in Rosa's voice, "Água Doce" is the first in Me and My Heart. Paulelli's bass solos in this track are very rich and envelope Rosa's voice very gently and beautifully. The Pinto/Zilda classic "Aos Pés da Cruz" is very melancholic as is the case of the title track, "Eu e Meu Coração." Clearly one has the feeling that Rosa is almost whispering sweet nothings in our ears. Though she has not recorded Chico Buarque very often, it is a joy to hear Rosa's rendition for "Desencontro." At times, Rosa's voice is so tender that it sounds like she is singing a lullaby to get a child to sleep ("Se o Tempo Entendesse"). One of my all-time favorite Rosa Passos songs is "Dunas." Contrary to the original arrangement in Festa, here we hear a slower version of that song. The beauty of that song is everlasting. Before closing the album with Jobim's "Águas de Março," Rosa presents us with a moving rendition of Donato/Lysias' "Mentiras." As for "Águas de Março," Paulelli's mouth percussion is awesome, and Rosa does a remarkable job in her performance, too. Her voice and guitar accompaniment are outstanding in creating a nice duet between artist and instrument enhancing Jobim's voluminous lyrics.

ALBUM PERSONNEL

Producer: Edwin Pitre-Vásquez

Paulo Paulelli: bass, mouth percussion
Rosa Passos: acoustic guitar



Tracklist

1.Só Danço Samba (Antônio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
2.Água Doce (Ivan Lins - Vítor Martins)
3.Aos Pés da Cruz (Marino Pinto - Zé da Zilda)
4.Juras (Rosa Passos - Fernando de Oliveira)
5.Eu e Meu Coração (Inaldo Vilarinho - Antônio Botelho)
6.O Que É Que a Baiana Tem? (Dorival Caymmi)
7.Desencontro (Chico Buarque)
8.Se o Tempo Entendesse (Marino Pinto - Mário Rossi)
9.Dunas (Rosa Passos - Fernando de Oliveira)
10.Dois de Fevereiro (Dorival Caymmi)
11.Surpresas (João Donato - Caetano Veloso)
12.Minuano (Rosa Passos - Vítor Martins)
13.Mentiras (João Donato - Ênio Lysias)
14.Águas de Março (Antônio Carlos Jobim)


2003



read more

Review from Musica Brasileira

I can still recall the first time I heard Rosa Passos. The song "Verão," from her release Pano Pra Manga (1996), made an indelible mark in my mind. "Verão" has kept its place as one of my favorite Rosa Passos and Fernando de Oliveira's tunes. Since that time, Rosa Passos albums have been a constant addition to my collection. Besides her releases in Brazil, she has also recorded with Kenny Rankin (Here in My Heart, 1997) and more recently with Yo-Yo Ma (Obrigado, Brazil).
Passos latest release is a collaboration with bassist Ron Carter. The album, entitled Entre Amigos, is a collection of eleven Brazilian classics in Passos' inimitable voice and style. Produced by Cliff Korman and David Chesky, Entre Amigos also features Lula Galvão (guitar), Paulo Braga (percussion) and Billy Drewes (tenor sax and clarinet). This Passos/Carter combination sounds like a match made in heaven. Her intimate voice coupled with Carter's rich bass creates a beautiful combination to please die-hard Passos fan and, most certainly, the new fans she'll gain with this album.
The opening track "Bahia com H" might take you back to João Gilberto's 1981 Brasil album - Passos does not hide her passion for him - but Passos arrangement picks up the tempo just a tad faster to catapult Entre Amigos to new heights right from the start. Carter's bass accompaniment envelopes Passos voice and seems to play along with such ease that the listener will likely feel drawn to the charms of these two remarkable performers. And the magic in the first track is not short-lived. Over and over, these two artists spare no surprises. Carter's solo in "Insensatez," for example, is just as moving as Passos' soft spoken voice. Not detracting for the overall atmosphere of the album and at the same time adding a new dimension to it, Drewes' sax and clarinet solos are gorgeous. In "Desafinado," his solos are sometimes mirrored in Passos' voice. She sings some lines in staccato fashion, imitating Drewes precise notes. He also shines in "Eu Sei que Vou Te Amar" with an unusual and mesmerizing introduction.
The friendship shared in Entre Amigos is clearly shown in each track. The album is charming and endearing with each musician's participation carefully balanced. Passos is one of the few singers I know who is capable of recording a well-known song such as "Garota de Ipanema" and make you want to hear it again. Entre Amigos will have that effect on you, too.


Tracklist

1. Bahia com H (Dennis Brian)
2. Insensatez (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
3. Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Newton Ferreira de Mendonça)
4. Sorriu para Mim (Garoto - Luís Cláudio)
5. A Primeira Vez (Bide - Marçal)
6. Garota de Ipanema (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
7. Por Causa de Você (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Dolores Duran)
8. Caminhos Cruzados (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Newton Ferreira de Mendonça)
9. Feitio de Oração (Noel Rosa)
10. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
11. O Grande Amor (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)

2004



read more

Review from Musica Brasileira

An unabashed tribute to her idol João Gilberto, Amorosa is Rosa Passos's latest work. Still hot on the trails of her successfully acclaimed 2003 collaboration with Ron Carter (Entre Amigos), Passos selected gems from the João Gilberto repertoire and added a special tribute with an original song dedicated to him, "Essa É Pr'o João." As the song title says, this is to João.
Making music professionally since the 1960s, Passos (born in Salvador, Bahia, 1952) never tried to hide her affection and admiration for João Gilberto, the name synonymous with Bossa Nova in Brazil and the world. In 1978 she released her first album, Recriação, with original compositions co-written with long-time collaborator Fernando de Oliveira. From there on, her career catapulted to stardom with the release of several successful albums, such as Curare (1991), Festa (1993), Pano pra Manga (1996) as well as other works entirely dedicated to the works of Ary Barroso, Dorival Caymmi and Antônio Carlos Jobim. More recently, she worked with Ron Carter and Yo-Yo Ma reaching larger audiences outside of Brazil. Her impeccable taste to record the best in the Brazilian songbook is clearly evident in all albums she has released to date.
Produced by Jorge Calandrelli, Amorosa features Helio Alves on piano, Paulo Paulelli on bass (Nilson Matta in "Chega de Saudade"), Paulo Braga on drums, Cyro Baptista on percussion and, of course Rosa Passos on vocals and acoustic guitar. Passos also arranged all tracks except for "Que Reste-t-il de nos Amours" and "Chega de Saudade," which were arranged by Calandrelli. Special guests featured in this album are Rodrigo Ursaia on tenor sax, Paquito D'Rivera on clarinet and Henri Salvador with vocals in "Que Reste-t-il de nos Amours." The bonus track "Chega de Saudade" was taken from Yo-Yo Ma's Obrigado Brazil (Sony Classical SK 89935, 2003).
Four out of the twelve tracks here were recorded by João Gilberto in his classic 1977 album Amoroso: "Wave," "Bésame Mucho," "Retrato em Branco e Preto" and "'S Wonderful." (Gilberto's Amoroso is available in a 2-in-1 combo along with Brasil on Warner 9 45165-2.) Though strings are used in some of Passos's renditions for the same songs, she did not attempt to repeat Claus Ogerman's majestic arrangements. Instead, she opted for new arrangements, and they are just as beautiful. The other tracks were also recorded by Gilberto in several of his albums, with the exception of Passos and Medeiros's original "Essa É Pr'o João," her personal dedication to Gilberto. The song is a loving tribute full of images of João Gilberto, his music and Bossa Nova (see lyrics below).
To write about Passos renditions for all the songs in this album is an herculean task. She opens her heart in each track and sings from within her soul. The accompaniment is also superb note after note. Passos's phrasing is unequalled. Sometimes she puts so much feeling in one syllable that the listener is not capable of holding back a sigh of amazement. Case in point: her rendition of "Retrato em Branco e Preto." In the last verses of Buarque's touching lyrics, Passos carries the pain of all lovers in a single word: "coração" (heart). Her enunciation for that word is powerful. The same goes for several other lines in the song, such as "lembranças do passado" (remembrances of the past) and more.
Of course, in many instances of the album, Passos is playful and pure happiness. "Pra Que Discutir com Madame," "O Pato" and "Eu Sambo Mesmo" reflect the energy emanating in her grand small voice. The same goes for the non-Brazilian material presented here. "Bésame Mucho," in all its quietness, is passionately ardent until the last breath. As for "'S Wonderful," Alves's mellifluous piano accompaniment with subtle soaring strings is all but heavenly. Finally, the magnificent duet with Henri Salvador in "Que Rest-t-il de nos Amours" reaches a high not even attained by Gilberto's own recording. Ronaldo Bastos's Portuguese lyrics blend so beautifully with the original French words that you are likely to forget when one language is being sung instead of the other. Never has French and Portuguese sounded so beautifully together since Chico Buarque's "Joana Francesa."
Amorosa is proof that less is a whole lot more. Voice and lyrics take center stage. Instrumentation and arrangements highlight the beauty of the music. Everything else is superfluous.

Essa É Pr'o João (Rosa Passos - Arnoldo Medeiros)

This is for João (Rosa Passos - Arnoldo Medeiros)

Ouvindo atentamente na vitrola Seu jeito encantado de cantar Eu tento resistir aos seus acordes Mas só consigo me apaixonar e confessar De tudo que meu coração precisa Fundamental é mesmo um violão O som inesquecível da batida Em um samba harmonizado por João Por João E nesse nunca chega de saudade A sua inconfundível divisão É toda infinita poesia Que faz da melodia uma ilusão João Gilberto, amigo, eu só queria Lhe agradecer pela lição Desses seus acordes dissonantes Desse seu cantar com perfeição E até o apagar da velha chama Eu quero sempre ouvir o mesmo som Só privilegiados tem ouvidos Mas muito poucos deles tem seu dom Seu dom, que bom

Listening carefully on the turntable His enchanting way of singing I tried to resists his chords But I can only fall in love and confess Everything my heart needs An acoustic guitar is really fundamental The unforgettable sound of the beat In a samba harmonized by João By João And in this no more blues His incomparable phrasing Is all infinite poetry And it turns the melody into an illusion João Gilberto, friend, I just wanted To thank you for the lesson Of your dissonant chords Of your perfect singing And until the final flicker I only want to hear the same sound always Only the privileged have ears But just a few have your gift Your gift, how nice

Tracklist

1. Você Vai Ver (Antônio Carlos Jobim)
2. Wave (Antônio Carlos Jobim)
3. Bésame Mucho (Consuelo Velasquez)
4. Pra que Discutir com Madame (Janet de Almeida - Haroldo Barbosa)
5. Lobo Bobo (Carlos Lyra - Ronaldo Bôscoli)
6. O Pato (Jayme Silva - Neuza Teixeira)
7. Retrato em Branco e Preto (Antônio Carlos Jobim - Chico Buarque)
8. Eu Sambo Mesmo (Janet de Almeida)
9. Essa É Pr’o João (Rosa Passos - Arnoldo Medeiros)
10. Que Reste-t-il de nos Amours (Charles Trenet - Portuguese lyrics by Ronaldo Bastos) - w/ Henri Salvador
11. 'S Wonderful (George Gershwin - Ira Gershwin)
12. Chega de Saudade (Antônio Carlos Jobim) - w/ Yo-Yo Ma

2005



read more

No information :(


Tracklist

1. Abajur Lilás
2. Festa
3. Chuva de Verão
4. Juras
5. Causa Perdida
6. Minuano
7. Pano Pra Manga
8. Espelhos
9. Samba Sem Você
10. Verão
11. Amorosa
12. Dunas
13. Outono
14. Barcos
15. Gesto
16. Salada Tropical

2006

read more


Review from Musica Brasileira

Whereas many performers shy away from opening an album without any instrumentation, Rosa Passos pulls all the stops singing Garoto's "Duas Contas" a cappella as the very first track in Rosa. Garoto's lyrics take center stage. With a repertoire that includes classic songs by Tom Jobim, João Donato, Augusto Mesquita and Chico Buarque, Rosa also features six new original Rosa Passos songs with several of her long-time collaborators, including two tracks co-written with my favorite of her partners, Fernando de Oliveira.
"Sutilezas" is the first original we hear. With lyrics by Sérgio Natureza, the song is about calm waters, birds, nature and celestial echoes. The search for subtle tones is evidenced by images of intimate whispers and ritual silence. The song not only makes reference to Tom Jobim, but also to Rosa's idol, João Gilberto. She sings about searching for the simple and pure. In Rosa's inimitable style, she delivers precisely what is simple and pure in this album.
Among the several classics she performs, one unusual song stands out. The famous Jovem Guarda hit "Sentado à Beira do Caminho" gets an endearing Bossa Nova beat. Originally composed as a ballad by Roberto Carlos and Erasmo Carlos, this track has received performances by world-renowned stars, including the most recent rendition by Andrea Bocelli in Amore. Rosa's version here reflects the solitude in the lyrics and makes a life's journey a very slow process. Another classic with a distinct Rosa style is Augusto Mesquita and Jaime Florence's "Molambo." With a soft bolero arrangement, Rosa re-defines this torch song.
"Desilusión" and "Fusión" feature Rosa singing in Spanish. In "Desilusión," a Rosa Passos melody with lyrics by Spanish composer Santiago Auserón, the words sing of the old disillusionment of love. As for "Fusión," the song requires no special introduction other than the fact that it is penned by Uruguayan songwriter Jorge Drexler, the notable Academy Award winning composer of "Al Otro Lado del Rio," from The Motorcycle Diaries.
Of the two collaborations between Rosa and Fernando, "Demasiado Blue" and "Detalhe," my favorite is the latter. Fernando de Oliveira is a master in evoking scenes vividly with his choice of words and succession of images. "Detalhe" is full of that: months, sun, sea, smells, etc.

Tracklist

1. Duas Contas (Garoto)
2. Eu Não Existo Sem Você(Antônio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
3. Sutilezas (Rosa Passos - Sérgio Natureza)
4. Até Quem Sabe (João Donato - Lysias Enio)
5. Olhos Nos Olhos (Chico Buarque)
6. Sentado à Beira do Caminho (Roberto Carlos - Erasmo Carlos)
7. Molambo (Augusto Mesquita - Jaime Florence)
8. Jardim (Keren Ann - Benjamin Biolay; Portuguese version by Michelino Silvano & Bia Krieger)
9. Demasiado Blue (Rosa Passos - Fernando de Oliveira)
10. Desilusión (Rosa Passos - Santiago Auserón)    
lyrics     En tus ojos vi un hetizo passar     Entre sombra y luz no podia durar     Utópico era confira en la quimera de aquél guión     Todo el argumento se llamanva al fin desilusión     Demasiadas penas sobran las esenas entro los dos     Guarda-te las frases de consuelo y de tan solo adios     Una vieja estória de sedilusion y nada más     Entre sombra y luz no podia durar

11. Edredon de Seda (Rosa Passos - Arnoldo Medeiros)
12. Não Sei o Que Acontece (Alexandre Leão)
13. Detalhe (Rosa Passos - Fernando de Oliveira)
14. Fusión (Jorge Drexler)
15. Inverno (Rosa Passos - Walmire Palma)

2008



read more

Review from Musica Brasileira

Romance has been a constant in the recent albums released by Rosa Passos. Her 2001 Me and My Heart, 2003 Entre Amigos and 2006 Rosa all bear some resemblance to this latest CD. In addition to being very romantic in its repertoire and delivery, Romance also shines with its jazz approach to Brazilian compositions.

Romance picks up several musical threads previously explored by Rosa. You will find here additional songs by Dorival Caymmi (Rosa Passos Canta Caymmi), Antônio Carlos Jobim (Rosa Passos Canta Antônio Carlos Jobim - 40 Anos de Bossa Nova) and Djavan (Azul). The other songs performed in Romance include selections from Ivan Lins, Marcos Valle, Suely Costa, João Donato, Chico Buarque and others. Out of those, three selections from the Elis Regina repertoire receive the Rosa Passos treatment in memorable arrangements: "Atrás da Porta," "Tatuagem" and "Altos e Baixos." This is a double gift not only because of Elis, but also because Rosa has -- unfortunately -- not recorded many Chico Buarque and Suely Costa music. That absence is beautifully rectified here.

Rosa produced the album and handed the arrangements to the capable hands of Paulo Paulelli, Lula Galvão and Fábio Torres. Rosa has worked with all three in the past several times. Lula Galvão was a central figure in Rosa's 1997 Letra & Música: Ary Barroso, for example. In addition to contributing to Rosa's albums, Paulo Paulelli and Fábio Torres often work together, as they did in their 2005 Corrente. Most of the music in Romance falls in the traditional jazz school of piano (Fábio Torres), bass (Paulo Paulelli) and drums (Celso de Almeida). To add multiple layers to the instrumentation, other notable musicians are featured in the album: Lula Galvão (acoustic guitar), Daniel D'Alcântara (flugelhorn), Vinícius Dorin (saxes) and Nahor Gomes (flugelhorn and trumpet).

Though Rosa's competence is undeniable, it is impressive to experience her artistry once again with composers such as Chico Buarque. In "Atrás da Porta," Lula Galvão has a stunning guitar solo, and Vinícius Dorin's flute and sax solos in "Tatuagem" make the track unforgettable. All of that works like perfect bookends to Rosa's flawless performances

Tracklist

1. Doce Presença (Ivan Lins - Vitor Martins)
2. Nem Eu (Dorival Caymmi)
3. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Vinícius de Moraes)
4. Álibi (Djavan)
5. Preciso Aprender a Ser Só (Marcos Valle - Paulo Sérgio Valle)
6. Atrás da Porta (Francis Hime - Chico Buarque)
7. Tatuagem (Chico Buarque - Ruy Guerra)
8. Por Causa de Você (Antonio Carlos Jobim - Dolores Duran)
9. Altos e Baixos (Suely Costa - Aldir Blanc)
10. Cadê Você (João Donato - Chico Buarque)
11. Neste Mesmo Lugar (Armando Cavalcanti - Klécius Caldas)
12. Nossos Momentos (Luís Reis - Haroldo Barbosa)