A veteran of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Banda Nova, Paula Morelenbaum—part of the Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto trio—is well-schooled in the infectious grooves of Brazilian music. The decade she spent with Jobim also allowed her an intimate acquaintance with the lyrics of Vinicius de Moraes, one of Brazil’s iconic songwriters. “Berimbaum” is a collection of a dozen tunes that all feature lyrics by de Moraes and music by such legends as Jobim, Baden Powell and Chico Buarque. Songs like “Primavera,” “Berimbau” and “Brigas Nunca Mais” retain their essential vibe, but Morelenbaum and her musical cohorts impart a decidedly post-modern spin to the material by using rhythm programming, loops and tasty bits of sampling. It’s a sweet idea, made all the more appealing by Morelenbaum’s vocals, which virtually define the deliciously hot/cool paradox of Brazilian pop and jazz. “Berimbaum” is electronica in the reverent and very hip service of legendary bossa nova, and the results are definitely danceable.—PVV
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