Elza Soares & João de Aquino

How can such a distinct album stay unreleased for over twenty years?. Well, better late than never: “Elza Soares & João de Aquino” was finally released on digital platforms on December 10th, 2021. The album’s impact was big - expectedly, as the album gathers the guitar virtuosity of João de Aquino and the sovereign interpretation of Elza Soares; unexpectedly, too, as the album ended up being the ultimate release of Elza Soares, who passed away on January 22, 2022. Compiling Brazilian music compositions (from the 1940s to the 1980s) by notables such as Lamartine Babo, Ismael Silva, Gordurinha, Gilberto Gil, and Luiz Melodia, “Elza Soares & João de Aquino” sounds like an anthology of what Soares stood for and believed in throughout her career - aesthetically, rhythmically, and politically. Produced in the mid-1990s (presumably in 1996), all of the album’s 13 tracks were recorded a single studio session, suggesting a strong musical synergy between Soares and Aquino (who had shared the stage with Soares and had produced some of her albums). The result is a minimalist, but majestic, voice-and-guitar duo that spices up the chosen repertoire. As for the outstanding tracks, “Antonico” is a touching letter of solidarity amongst adversity - and there’s some enticing body percussion in it; “Mambo da Cantareira” breaks all patterns with its Cuban-mambo-like aesthetics; “Que Maravilha” has some beautiful conga drums creating the climax; and “Canário da Terra” reads like a sarcastic portrait of Rio de Janeiro’s life and people - Elza included.