Noites Brasileiras

These are admittedly troubling times for Brazil. Having elected a president known for his polemic and hostile quotes on minorities and for his intent on declaring war on indigenous populations, the country is now led by someone who also considers immigrants a threat. In other words, everyone that does not look or think exactly like him is a menace. That is why, even if inadvertently, Gabriela Kozyra's self-produced and self-released debut album rises to such a political and crucial stance.

Polish-born, based in London and married to a Brazilian, Gabriela Kozyra does not shy away from the demanding task of recording a handful of samba and choro tracks, driven by her sheer passion for this music. What's more stunning is that she manages to surpass everything that could really work against her: the fact this is not her original culture, but rather the one she chose to adopt; the condition of building this artistic relationship from a distance (although she did record in Rio); the courageous avoidance of the classics and inventing her own repertoire.

There is nothing new in the sounds on Noites Brasileiras, but there is a riveting honesty to laidback tracks like ‘Quadrante’ or ‘Depois da Paz’, or the sambas and chorinhos that mine the tradition like ‘Desconcertante’ or ‘Time is Money, Jazz’. There is even Brazilian guitar legend Guinga on board for a couple of numbers. It all sounds effortless, and sometimes that is all it takes.