WARM BLOODED! Paula Santoro: Mar Do Meu Mundo, Rebeca Vallejo: Azucar Canela

by George W. Harris • January 9, 2014

Here are a couple lyrical latin lovers. One is sweet, the other caliente.

Brazilian vocalist Paula Santoro has a gentle and nasal sounding sound to her delivery with jazzy team of Zeca Assumpcao/b, Kiko Freitas/dr, Marco Lobo/perc and Rafael Vernet/p. She delicately unwinds on material such as “Alegria” and the upbeat Luz da Terra” and with guitarist Guto Wirtti is luminescent on “Homem ao Mar” and the upbeat Luz da Terra.” Her delicate cheerfulness is infectious throughout, as she skates along “Joana Dos Barcos” and the comfy “ Agua Salobria” but can also get vulnerable as on the melancholy piano duet on “Flor.” Impressive modern Brazilia!

On the other side of the street, you’ve got Rebeca Vallejo, who’s about as vulnerable as Charo! Her voice is as earthy as an open market, and on tunes such as “El Ciego Sol” and “Canicas” she rolls her “Rs” like an impassioned lover. She gets feisty and saucy on the handclapping “No Sabes” and holds her notes for an extra beat to make you feel her lyrics on the lusty “Despertar” and percussive “Cravo e Canela”. She even writes a good number of the pieces, but it’s the impassioned delivery of her lyrics as on “Sin Piedad” and how she soars over the drums on “Los Pilares de la Tierra” like some Chagall painting that make you want to see this lady in person. Some of the most exciting vocals you’ll come across. !!!Yo Quero mas!!!