One has always to expect a high standard when the Caymmi name is involved -- after all, it represents what's best in the musical tradition and folklore of Bahia, Brazil. It may be an unbearable responsibility, in terms. In this album, Danilo Caymmi correctly visits great classics of Brazilian music, trying to be pertinent to the chosen title (Brazilian mixture), without slipping to the easy track of commercial banality. But he lurks dangerously there, with plenty of stereotyped romantic keyboards and the flirting with the terrible "pagodinho romântico" style (in "O Côncavo E O Convexo" and "Caminho Do Meu Coração") and with the brega ("Retalhos de Cetim"). Having dropped the flute, the release's concept is to explore the romantic and sexy appeal of Caymmi's expressive voice and good looks. Then, it is a commercial album, but it doesn't condemn the effort. Danilo alternates some critical moments with respectful renditions to the works of his father Dorival, Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, and other great composers.
© Alvaro Neder /TiVo