Simone
Café com Leite
Mercury PolyGram Brasil

You might not like coffee, cream, or the traditional combination of coffee and cream. However, there is absolutely no way you will not like Simone's latest CD Café com Leite (Coffee And Cream), a tribute to Martinho da Vila, a Rio de Janeiro singer and songwriter who has given Brazil great sambas such as Meu Laiá-Raiá(My La-Di-La), Se Eu Soubesse que Tu Vinha (If I Knew You Were Coming), and Canta, Canta, Minha Gente (Sing, Sing, My People) among others -- all included here.

An original idea of Simone, Café com Leite unites the great sambas of Martinho da Vila with impeccable arrangements by Dori Caymmi, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Julio Teixeira, Heitor T.P., and Rildo Hora and a team of musicians that includes percussion by Paulinho da Costa and Luís Conte, keyboards by Cesar Camargo Mariano, and guitar by Dori Caymmi. With this mixture of talents, it is no wonder this "cafezinho" (Brazilian coffee) tastes so good.

The opening track, Café com Leite, is a short a cappella version that serves as a definition to the entire album, a meeting of two giants: Simone and Martinho da Vila. Then comes the outstanding samba-funk introduction to Beija, me Beija, me Beija (Kiss, Kiss Me, Kiss Me). Throughout the entire recording, Simone delivers Martinho's songs perfectly, sometimes very playfully as in Madalena do Jucu (Magdalene Of Jucu) and then majestically and peacefully as in Disritmia (Fibrillation), with a "Chopin-iesque" arrangement by Cesar Camargo Mariano. The final track, Ex-Amor (Former Love), brings Martinho da Vila himself along with Simone to close this circle sampling Martinho's songwriting career.

Simone said that making this album was a "great trip" and "really good." She truly underestimated the results in Café com Leite. This is not simply "good." It is yet another landmark release for Simone and one of her best career recordings.

Copyright © 1997 Egídio Leitão