Elba Ramalho,
Alceu Valença,
Geraldo Azevedo, and
Zé Ramalho are all northeastern artists who knew fame and success in the southeast in the late '70s. On this album they revisit their biggest hits in wonderfully rhythmic acoustic renditions, differently than in their solo albums, which in general had to bend to the strong exigencies of the pop market in the '80s and '90s, watering down their talents. Here they cover "Sabiá" (
Luiz Gonzaga/Zé Dantas), "Admirável Gado Novo," "Dia Branco," "Chão de Giz," "Trem Das Sete" (
Raul Seixas), and many other classics.
They command a firm grasp over the audiences, who are deeply connected and responsive to their stimulus; the public goes delirious in the improvised verses ("desafios") in "Coração Bobo," filling the blanks in "Pelas Ruas Que Andei," and adding to the deep emotional electricity felt throughout this sincere release. ~ Alvaro Neder