Chama Acesa

by Alex HendersonFrom Elis Regina to Gilberto Gil to Milton Nascimento, the '70s were a great time for jazz-influenced Brazilian pop (or, as they call it in Portuguese, MPB -- musica popular braziliera). It was also during the '70s that Ivan Lins really established himself as one of MPB's heavyweights. Eventually, the singer gained the respect of the jazz world; "The Island," "Love Dance" ("Lembrança" in Portuguese), and other Lins gems became standards among American and European jazz artists. But the Brazilian pop market was where Lins first made a name for himself, and that market was the target audience of Chama Acesa. This album was originally released on LP in Brazil in 1975; then, in the early '00s, RCA Brazil reissued Chama Acesa on CD. Listening to these melodically rich songs, it isn't hard to understand why a jazz vocal giant like Mark Murphy would hold Lins in high regard; Murphy and other improvisers appreciate the jazz influence that Lins brings to much of his work. Chama Acesa isn't hardcore jazz -- certainly not the way that Murphy is hardcore jazz -- but it is MPB with a jazz-pop outlook. And Lins' appreciation of American jazz serves him well on MPB jewels like "Corpos," "Não Há Porque," and "Sorriso da Mágoa" (all of which he either wrote or co-wrote). Throughout the album, Lins' vocals underscore the sexiness of the Portuguese language -- even if you don't understand a word of Portuguese, the lyrics have a very caressing, inviting sound (one that goes so well with the samba rhythm). Although RCA's Chama Acesa reissue is primarily for the Brazilian market, the CD has been sold in U.S. and European stores as an import and is well worth searching for.