Jungle

by Alex HendersonWhen Astrud Gilberto turned 60 in 2000, the Brazilian singer was still best known for her early-'60s bossa nova recordings with Stan Getz. And there is no reason why those recordings shouldn't be celebrated; they are classic examples of Brazilian jazz. But at the same time, those who think Gilberto should devote every moment of the day to Antonio Carlos Jobim standards sell her short. There is more to Gilberto than "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Corcovado," and on Jungle her own songs are a top priority. Gilberto, in fact, wrote or co-wrote ten of the 12 tunes on this CD, which was recorded in Philadelphia during the summer of 2001 (when she was 61) and released by Magya Productions (a small label based in the Philly suburb of Bala Cynwyd, PA) the following year. Jungle isn't strictly bossa nova, but it is a solid collection of Brazilian pop and Brazilian jazz -- and Gilberto demonstrates that she can still be a charming, expressive vocalist on originals that range from the sensuous ballad "Dancing" (a vocal duet with singer Mark Lambert) to the playful "Pink House" and the salsa-tinged "É Só Me Pedir" (which successfully combines Afro-Cuban and Brazilian elements). Meanwhile, "Rebola, Bola" is a funky, exuberant number that contains some Portuguese-language rapping by vocalist Magrus. Some American hip-hop enthusiasts might have a hard time picturing an artist rapping in Portuguese, but in fact, hip-hop has been big in Brazil since the '80s -- and that country is full of talented MCs who rap in Portuguese exclusively. Another high point of Jungle (which Gilberto has been selling on her official website) is her samba-minded interpretation of Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love." But original material dominates on this CD, which is a welcome addition to the singer's catalog.