by Elza Soares (Mais Um Discos, MAIS031 CD, LP + digital)
maisumdiscos.bandcamp.com
This is samba sujo – dirty samba. Not my term, but that of Elza Soares, the 70-something Brazilian legend who is The Woman at the End of the World (A Mulher do Fim do mundo). Now getting its worldwide outing after a limited earlier release in her home territory, this is Soares’s 34th studio album and it’s astounding. The opening number, ‘Coracão do Mar’ (Heart of the Sea) – the text comes from a poem by Oswald de Andrad – provides the first taste of Soares’ smoky, growly vocals. It’s an acapella number and it’s beautiful in all its worn-out warmth.
