Her father may be the legendary Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto, but in 2000 daughter Bebel proved that she understands the bossa nova, too. There's a subtlety throughout this recording that makes Bebel's voice entrancing, as she re-creates the sensual essence of bossa nova before running with it into electronic territory toward the album's end. Tanto Tempo is an even-tempered statement that manages to showcase Bebel's own sexy voice while gracefully remembering the past. --Karen K. Hugg
Three discs into her acclaimed solo career, it's a no-brainer that the Brazilian pop charms of Bebel Gilberto will conjure a slew of beach-inspired adjectives. "Refreshing," "wind-swept" and "sun-kissed" spring to mind. Momento continues Gilberto's trend of crafting sultry scenes of afternoon delight via tunes that both adhere to traditions and sound ultra-modern. But she also mixes things up a bit in the process. Gilberto's sensual delivery--featured here in English and in Portuguese--hovers in and around each song, more an extension of the rhythms than the showpiece. Make no mistake, though: Gilberto's vocal work is a thing of beauty. She again blends bossa nova, samba, pop and electronica flourishes, but no one genre overpowers any other. Liliting guitars give way to pulsing percussion and horns, which crash against loops and samples. Gilberto coos amid the catchy club flavor of "Bring Back the Love," and the moonlit "Close to You" recalls Sade. The daughter of Brazilian guitarist Joao Gilberto even tackles Cole Porter's "Night and Day," recasting it as a hushed moment of bossa loveliness. And the title track is a collage of sonic secrets and memories. Perfect for a patio brunch--or an evening under the stars. --Joey Guerra
With the release of her debut Tanto Tempo in 2000, the Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto and the late DJ Suba redefined the bossa nova sound. Her sophomore effort, produced by Marius de Vries, the soundmeister behind Madonna, Annie Lennox and Bjork, was recorded in Rio, Bahia, London and New York. Gilberto's cool contralto sings sweetly over synths, strings, percussion acoustic piano and horns. Daniel Jobim and Pedro Baby contributed compositions. Caetano Veloso's "Baby" features lyrics by Os Mutantes, and Carlinhos Brown's candomblé-cadenced, "Aganju" swings with a nod to Africa. Bebel's hushed vocals reveal the influences of her father, the legendary Joao Gilberto, and of her mother Miucha on the electro-bossa beats of "Winter." Ditto the ocean-breezed "O Caminho," with jazzy orchestrations and pianisms provided by Joao Donato. This disc aims for the ear rather than the hips, but don't be surprised if future remixes could flip that sonic script. --Eugene Holley, Jr.
