Live in Berlin

Though far less well-known than João Gilberto or Tom Jobim outside Brazil, Baden Powell was one of that select group who met together in singer Nara Leão's Copacabana apartment in the 1950s to re-invent samba – slowing it down, adding a lilting swing and producing a new sound, bossa nova. Baden Powell (named after the famous scout-leader) became the great bossa nova guitar virtuoso, collaborating with Vinícius de Moraes (lyricist of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’) on a string of revolutionary records, which included the classic album OsAfro Sambas. Far more rooted in poor Brazil than either Jobim or Gilberto, these explored Brazil's musical origins – in candomblé's ritual incantations, in the choro of early 20th century Rio's favelas (which had inspired Villa-Lobos) and in Brazilian folk music. By the 60s Powell had become the Brazilian acoustic guitarist par excellence. Before his advent the acoustic guitar had been just one instrument of many in a samba band or orchestra. But Powell brought it to the fore as a great virtuoso instrument, unaccompanied by the human voice. In doing so he paved the way for guitarists like the Assad Brothers and Yamandu Costa.

By the time this live CD was recorded in 2000, Baden Powell was 63 and had a repertoire stretching far beyond samba and bossa nova into jazz, classical and Bahian roots music. This CD shows him at his best, whether on Dorival Caymmi's tender, lyrical ‘Abaeté’, Luiz Bonfa's melancholic ‘Manhã de Carnaval’, ‘Tocata 147’ (after JS Bach), blistering choros like Pixinguinha's ‘Naquele Tempo Chôro’ or bossa standards – many of which are his own.