Marisa Monte
Mais

THE REVIEW

Yes! She had left. She had left me alone, after two months of intense passion, in the summer heat of a campsite. It wasn’t a farewell; we would see each other again, though when I didn’t know yet.

Autumn was approaching relentlessly, coloring with its pastel tones the nostalgia for this woman perhaps too different from me, but with something profoundly familiar.

Different from me because she was far from my intellectual reasoning, from my way of planning my life, distant in her genuine spontaneity. Yet there was something between the lines that told me to embrace it all and follow, to let go and risk everything.

What I had left of her was a t-shirt, which still exuded her scent, and some cassettes containing memories, the feelings that filled my heart.
Among them, one with "Marisa Monte" written on it and nothing else, which released beautiful music, perhaps too different from me but with something profoundly familiar.

Different from me because they were far from my brainy and complicated listens, in search of musical surprises and innovations. Yet there was something within the notes profoundly familiar, one instrument in particular, the alto sax. Yes! I know this sax, but how can it be?...

The mystery was solved when, opening the CD I later purchased, I read with great surprise that "Mais" released in '91 was produced by "Arto Lindsay", whom I knew and appreciated mainly for his contribution to the magical first album of the "Golden Palominos".
Arto sprinkles in this refined and simple Brazilian dish, two fingers of "Melvin Gibbs", some seeds of "Marc Ribot", a touch of "Ryuichi Sakamoto", a pinch of "John Zorn" (without exaggerating as it’s a very strong spice), a good dose of "Naná Vasconcelos", and other little things still.
Magically, with all these spices, the essence of the dish doesn’t change, its exoticness isn’t compromised; it’s only enriched, making it full of precious flavors to savor. Well done our chef, "Arto Lindsay"!

So my palate, oops! My hearing was not deceiving me, it truly was Zorn’s raspy sax that could be heard at some moments. Nor was my heart deceived, allowing my emotions to be carried away on this magical musical carpet, with the sweetness and strength of this great voice. Some songs on this album are composed by her friends (Arnaldo Antunes, Nando Reis), others are traditional, one is by Caetano Veloso, and one by Marisa herself.

First studio album. Great and sweet emotions. Great musicians. Great debut. Well done Arto. Well done Marisa.