The Muse of Bossa Nova

by Adam GreenbergIn their never-ending quest to collect the best of Brazil's bossa nova and MPB stars, Wrasse Records released a major retrospective of Nara Leão, the "muse of bossa nova." Given that it's a single disc, the number of songs is rather outstanding. Thanks to their diligence, essentially every major song from every portion of her career is represented (which is quite a job, especially given the rarity of her albums on the market). Some of her earliest work is represented by her guest work on a Carlos Lyra album, and a soundtrack that featured her Nana. As she moved forward, there are pieces from her controversial samba-influenced days, including Opinião de Nara. Her time with Chico Buarque is documented by his Brazil a Banda, which needed defense from the authorities at the time, and "Noite Dos Mascarados," among others. She has classic bossa nova from the likes of Antonio Carlos Jobim with Desafinado and Corcovado, along with a few others. Some more political pieces in combination with Caetano Veloso hold up her anti-authoritarian banner quite well, and on the opposite end of the spectrum are Erasmo Carlos and Zé Kéti compositions engineered for fun. With a long career and a number of phases, Leão provided a wealth of bossa nova for posterity, and this album makes a fair stab at collecting it all. The only gripe with the album is that it's presented entirely out of chronological order, which would have been somewhat desirable, given the variety of songs. Despite that, it's a worthwhile album for anyone into the nuances of bossa nova, of which Leão showed all.