Crazy Groove

Internationally renowned for his work with Miriam Makeba and Toots Thielemans, and for popularising forró music in Brazil, the Brazilian accordion maestro Sivuca has a back catalogue stretching back to the 50s that's well worth investigating. However, Crazy Groove – originally released in 1993 – is not the place to start. As if to prove a point, almost every track sees Sivuca fly off, leaving you bombarded by virtuosic note-after-note with little room to breathe. Occasionally it works, as on the cinematic ‘Dry Creek’, which partners accordion with ten-string guitar and resembles a less-bombastic Rodrigo y Gabriela. The rest of the time Sivuca's evident skill on his instrument fails to shake the songs out of their generic sound – redolent of the forró music played at Brazil's festas juninas, where thousands of revellers dance in huge tents each June. Unless you’re a big fan of accordion music in general, this album could be a step too far.