Sivuca

by Skip Jansen On the cover photograph, Sivuca may resemble an elf whose voice one would expect to be a high falsetto chirp, accompanied by the thrummed acoustic he has in hand. With white locks and a full beard, staring delightfully into the skin of his own eyelids, Sivuca has an ecstatic smile that is only half an indication of the joy this album contains. That is to say it is somewhat aesthetically deceptive. Additionally, given the fact that the album originally appeared on Vanguard, it would be predictable that it could be a folk exploration similar to those of the late John Fahey, who also recorded for the label periodically. However, the label also specialized in diversity, and Sivuca is a composer with one of the most far-reaching and exotic repertoires that the legendary label released. With Latin jazz, folk, and bossa nova of the highest order, as well as arrangements that touch on Sergio Mendes, this album should hold great appeal for fans of the Jorge Ben, Caetano Veloso, andGilberto Gil axis of Brazilian music.