Samba Carioca

Vinicius Cantuaria has been producing finely crafted, softly sung, smoky bossa nova records since he left Brazil for New York in the 90s. Albums like his last release, Cymbals and the delightful 2005 offering Silva have earned him a loyal following. There's nothing new here – no sharp edges or surprises. Each track slips delicately from the speakers like a warm, gentle breeze – wafting from the opening samba ’Praia Grande through jazzy, understated bossas tinged with piano, like ‘Berlin, to the final track ‘So Ficou Saudade’ on which Bill Frisell contributes light, airy guitar. The line-up of session musicians is stellar, with Marcos Valle and João Donato putting in guest appearances alongside Frisell, and with Paulo Braga and Leminha adding just the right drum rim-shots and plucked bass in just the right places. It's a recipe which guarantees that Samba Carioca will slip nicely into the background of boutique hotel lobbies, cocktail bars and chill-out rooms the world over. But it does leave you with a longing for the shock of the new.