Comments on: Vanessa da Mata and Ben Harper http://www.theworld.org/2009/11/27/vanessa-da-mata-and-ben-harper/ Global Perspectives for an American Audience Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:58:41 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael http://www.theworld.org/2009/11/27/vanessa-da-mata-and-ben-harper/comment-page-1/#comment-4702 Michael Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:06:40 +0000 http://www.theworld.org/?p=19799#comment-4702 Hopefully North America will embrace this song and singer. Simply TERRIFIC! ...especially the original version. Hopefully North America will embrace this song and singer.

Simply TERRIFIC! …especially the original version.

]]> By: steveO http://www.theworld.org/2009/11/27/vanessa-da-mata-and-ben-harper/comment-page-1/#comment-3932 steveO Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:25:53 +0000 http://www.theworld.org/?p=19799#comment-3932 What can I say, Great collaboration. I am a huge Brazilian Jazz fan and have been recently introduced to the music of Ben Harper What can I say, Great collaboration. I am a huge Brazilian Jazz fan and have been recently introduced to the music of Ben Harper

]]> By: J. Metz http://www.theworld.org/2009/11/27/vanessa-da-mata-and-ben-harper/comment-page-1/#comment-3910 J. Metz Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:21:06 +0000 http://www.theworld.org/?p=19799#comment-3910 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. 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.

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