Brazilian singer Wanda Sa is not hiding her "mature" years on the cover of her new album "Ca Entre Nos". She feels she has nothing to hide or be ashamed of. And she doesn't. If you are not familiar with Wanda, and even many Bossa Nova fans are only vaguely familiar with her name, use the wonders of the modern Internet and search out some of her pictures and album covers from the Sixties, when she was probably best known. Then, ot was a question of strikingly good looking girl, playing strikingly good music.
Nowdays, those strikingly good looks keep on shining through the music. The thing with Bossa is that even with its vocal version you don't really have to know a single word of Portugese to comprehend it and love it. It is yet another form of blues - saudade as they say in Brasil. That is probably why from its early days on it cought so hard with American Jazz musicians, but as well in parts of the world so diverse, from France and Italy, all the way to Japan. There, Wanda Sa is probably a more known name than in some parts of the world closer to Brazil.
With this new album, Wanda Sa just show how much sofistication and finesse the years that pass by bring. She started out as a prospect guuitar player at the age of 13, and came to prominence when she was only 19, playing and singing along with the Bossa and Brazil greats like Tom Jobim, Eumir Deodato, Roberto Mensecal and Marcos Valle. When she teamed up with Sergio Mendes in mid-Sixties, she did even gain som prominence in the US, mostly as a member of his Brasil 65 group. These days, Wanda's mussic is so assured, that she doesn't really need any big name alongside her. The songs are musically complete, getting an additional jazz tinge, but holding firmly to that Bossa-Saudade feel she grew up with. Yes, there are big name Brazilian guests on this album, like her first mentor Roberto Mensecal and Ivan Lins. But this is definitely Wanda's show, you don't even notice that there are guests on the album until you grab to read the liner notes.
This is definitely a "feel" album, something you put on at three in the morning or when the weather is gloomy and you are really glad you're inside listening to some great music. This is the album for those moments.
