Oásis de Bethânia

Like her brother, Caetano Veloso, Bethânia was a key player in the musical revolution which swept through late 60s and early 70s Brazil, and which saw the fusion of electric instruments and non-Brazilian popular music tropes with traditional Brazilian musical styles. But while Caetano, Gilberto Gil and Gal Costa followed an experimental path which saw its fluorescence in tropicalia, Bethânia chose a more conventional route as an interpreter, showcasing the work of new and well-respected songwriters with her deep, sonorous voice. It’s a path she has followed ever since, and continues to tread, well into her 60s, on this excellent CD.

Oásis de Bethânia sees her in a quiet, reflective mood. The overly lush strings which blight so many of her albums are replaced with sparse accompaniment from acoustic guitars, percussion and piano. The feel is melancholic and laden with saudade – that uniquely Lusitanian emotion of regret, longing and sweet sadness. Styles range from light samba tinged with candomblé motifs on ‘Carta de Amor’ and merged with MPB (Música PopularBrasileira) on Chico Buarque’s ‘O Velho Francisco’ to a sparse Bahian style on ‘Calmaria’ (with Bethânia accompanied only by berimbau). The songs run well together, giving a satisfying overall listening experience.