Os Cariocas - Mestres Da MPB (CD)

All Music Guide

Os Cariocas, together with the other important vocal groups, exerted enormous influence over Brazilian popular music, especially because of the new and instigating harmonies taken from classical music and jazz, which are the raw materials of vocal groups. This compilation brings "Adeus América" (later re-recorded by João Gilberto) and "Nova Ilusão," two hits of the first 78 rpm (1948), recorded already with the second formation, with Badeco and Quartera. "Cadê a Jane," recorded in the next year, is a pure samba of the hills composed by the unsuspected sambista Wilson Batista (with Erasmo Silva), which, after the Cariocas' recreation, evidences that several people, among the most advanced musicians like them, along with the trendsetters Garoto and Laurindo de Almeida, were already in the tracks of bossa nova -- both rhythmically and harmonically. The compilation includes also songs recorded after Ismael left the group, substituted by his sister Hortênsia: the baião "Juazeiro," the samba... "Foi Ela," and others are from that period. Jazz influences are noted in "Neurastênico," and bossa nova is documented by "Zelão" (which had lyrics of strong social content, different than what the canons of bossa determine) by Sérgio Ricardo, and "Criticando" (by Carlos Lyra, whose lyrics criticize the influence of jazz in Brazilian music). The anti-bossa reaction is humorously documented by "Manifesto," "Tudo é Bossa," "Guerra à Bossa," and "Preto Velho Bossa Nova" (with Orquestra Severino Filho). These songs complete a good selection of important tracks by a highly influential historic group. - Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide Read more Less