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Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata had a number one hit at home with the song Boa Sorte. The song was co-written by US neo-bluesman Ben Harper. He performs with da Mata on the English version of the song. Anchor Marco Werman tells us more. Download MP3
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MARCO WERMAN: All right now that I’ve gotten us into this Frank Zappa moment, how do I get out of it? Hmm, I know, an accessible number one hit.
VANESSA DA MATA: [Singing]
WERMAN: This tune called “Boa sorte” or “good luck” was number one in Brazil last year and it was also huge in Europe. It’s by the young Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata. She’s not unknown in the U.S. “Boa sorte” appears on da Mata’s CD “Sim,” and it won a Latin Grammy last year for best contemporary Brazilian album. All of this as you may have noted happened last year. Well, just last month Sim got its official U.S. release, and hopes are that it’ll do well here too. It could. After all, Boa Sorte features U.S. neo-bluesman Ben Harper, who also co-wrote the song.
DA MATA AND HARPER: [Singing]
WERMAN: And for the U.S. release, Ben Harper and Vanessa da Mata have redone the tune in English.
DA MATA AND HARPER: [Singing]
WERMAN: All the pieces seem to be there for “Boa Sorte” to be a North American hit. Vanessa da Mata’s tune features drum and bass from Jamaican legends Sly and Robbie and percussion from Bob Marley’s former drummer Sticky. Vanessa da Mata even recorded part of the album in Jamaica. But what’s number one in Europe and Brazil might not mean that much to American listeners. Try it on for size, though, and tell us what you think. Our one stop online headquarters where you’ll find the useful “comment” tab is the world dot O-R-G. Our theme music was composed by Eric Goldberg in the Nan and Bill Harris Studios at WGBH in Boston. I’m Marco Werman. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
DA MATA AND HARPER: [Singing]
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This pairing, and especially their English-language “global hit,” seems particularly calculated and artificial. Ms. da Mata is a respected singer in Brazil, and she understandably seems to be hoping to follow the footsteps of Bebel Gilberto (Astrud Gilberto’s daughter) and Maria Rita (Elis Regina’s daughter) to US success–but lacking the benefit of networks from a legendary parent, she needs a duet with an American to open doors. Enter Harper, who on this track more than ever channels his warmed-over Al Green; the real problem, though, is that the instrumentation and feel do not favor da Mata’s voice in English. Compare her tone, depth, and phrasing in Portuguese, and even if you don’t understand her native language (which I do) you sense the subtlety that her English appears to lack. This comment is not to condemn Brazilian female singers in the US to the staples of bossa nova, but to regret the lack of experimentation here beyond the packaged smoothness of Harper; the track makes her sound small and stilted. Instead of lining up big names to create a psuedo-event (look! Sly and Robbie!) there should have been more exploring to make her voice sound good. What would Carlinhos Brown or Arto Lindsay have done with this? I hope we find out next time.
What can I say, Great collaboration. I am a huge Brazilian Jazz fan and have been recently introduced to the music of Ben Harper
Hopefully North America will embrace this song and singer.
Simply TERRIFIC! …especially the original version.