Bebel Gilberto Momento CD

Only Bebel Gilberto's third album in seven years, MOMENTO is an ideal fusion of the bossa nova sound popularized by her father, Joao Gilberto, with cool dancefloor electronica and sweet pop melodies. In contrast to the trance-like, downtempo sound of her debut album, TANTO TEMPO, and the more overtly Brazilian vibe of 2004's BEBEL GILBERTO, MOMENTO balances those two sides of Gilberto's musical personality and adds a previously hidden knack for catchy pop tunes. The overall effect of the chilly electronic beats, mellow acoustic guitars, and Gilberto's warm, inviting vocals (with lyrics in both Portuguese and English) is strongly reminiscent of the British duo Everything But the Girl, especially on Gilberto's overtly bossa nova-inspired take on Cole Porter's "Night and Day," which takes some cues from the duo's extremely similar arrangement of the tune. Another highlight is the pulsing dance-pop of "Bring Back the Love," which has the epic sweep of an early disco hit, thanks to guest stars the Brazilian Girls. Musically wide-ranging and uniformly memorable, MOMENTO is Bebel Gilberto's finest album yet.

Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Beauty Supply Studios, NY; Electric Lady Studios; Super Legal Studios, NY; The Barber Shop Studios, NJ.

Editors: EduCosta; Berna Ceppas.

Illustrators: Grillo Demo; Bebel Gilberto.

Photographer: Philippe Kliot.

Personnel: Bebel Gilberto (vocals, background vocals); Sabina Sciubba (vocals, charango, background vocals); Thalma de Freitas (vocals, background vocals); Didi Gutman (guitar, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Celso Fonseca (acoustic guitar, steel guitar); Guy Sigsworth (acoustic guitar, programming); Masa Shimizu, Pedro Baby (acoustic guitar); Nelson Jacobina, Bartolo, Pedro Sá (electric guitar); Ian Burdge (cello); Jorge Continentino (flute, baritone saxophone); Felipe Pinaud (flute); Paulo Levi (alto flute, tenor saxophone); Zé Luis (alto flute); Bidu Cordeiro (trombone, bass trombone); Marlon Sette, Carlos Darci (trombone); Rubinho Jacobina (electric piano); Mauro Refosco (vibraphone, snare drum, congas, talking drum, agogo, cymbals, pandeiro, shaker, shekere, tambourine, triangle, caxixi, percussion, programming, background vocals); Berna Ceppas (vibraphone, guiro, sampler); Jorge Helder (electric bass); Aaron Johnston, Domenico Lancelotti (drums); Moreno Veloso (congas); Cezar Farias "Bodao" (bongos); Stephane San Juan (cowbells, maracas, timbales); Sean McGhee (programming); Rodrigo Amarante, Béco (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Jason Corsasro; Jason Corsaro; Andy Page; Sean McGhee.

CMJ (p.5) - "The album fuses bossa nova and samba with languid guitar lines to create a warm and hypnotic atmosphere."
Down Beat (p.70) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "MOMENTO offers magic and mystery, expressed in the album's blurring of acoustic/electronic textures, and in the twilight urban mood that permeates every track."
JazzTimes (p.113) - "Bebel's breathy dreaminess recalls the misty Astrud, but the Gilberto progeny explores wider musical horizons. Hers is a distinctly more pop-jazz sound..."
Dirty Linen (p.74) - "[A] drifting cruise across sea and foam to an enchanted island of tranquility and undulating soft rhythms..."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he fieriest, most obviously Brazilian efforts -- 'Tranquilo' and 'Cacada', with its forro drums and flutes -- are the stand-outs."