[SACD-R][OF](International, Fado, Neo-Traditional, Western European Traditions)Cristina Branco – Ulisses - 2004/2005

Every 1 of Cristina Branco’s previous 5 albums has been the kind of work that is so overwhelmingly rich it can only be taken in over repeated listenings: nuances, subtle humour, shades of meaning, risks taken, but amply rewarded. In choice of material, composition, arrangement, preparation, performance & recording quality, she manages to continually astound. How can such a young singer simultaneously possess such an amazing crystalline voice & such sure artistic judgment?
Portugese vocalist born in 1972 in Lisbon. In her youth she was interested in folk music, jazz, blues & bossa nova. This lasted until she got her 1st fado album “Rara e Inédita” by “Amália Rodrigues” from her father for her 18th birthday. Nowadays she works with her most valued composer & Portuguese guitar player Custódio Castelo, with whom she gives the traditional Fado music a more modern feeling.
Each of Cristina Branco’s albums contains, in a more or less conscious way, the germ of the 1 that follows it: Sensus, the last disc by the Portuguese singer, was the exploration of the erotic vein that touched on the feel of a song in the work before it, “Corpo Iluminado.” Ulisses well deserves its name: Ulisses evokes voyages, adventure, wandering, love, leaving, returning. The myth of Ullsses could have been the origin of the Portuguese Saudade, this fatalistic nostalgia, marked by waiting, so linked with the sea & the uncertainties it generates.

First-time listeners to this Portuguese chanteuse may become so instantly infatuated with her beautiful, expressive voice & the plucky native guitar of Custódio Castelo that they may not truly care about the fado music traditions the 2 are carrying on via this enchanting collection. One could simply enjoy the impressionistic English translations of these Portuguese songs, punctuated sweetly & appropriately by an English-language rendering of Joni Mitchell’s unabashedly romantic “A Case of You.” But for those who want to understand the essence of Branco’s artistry, it’s interesting to note that her mission is to take fado out of its traditional mode of suffering, melancholy, & impotence & breathe new life into the genre with more hopeful interpretations. Composer & guitarist Castelo helps her realize her vision by artfully combining classics & originals to fit the beautiful tonality of her voice. His melodies tap the memory of the fado but transcend the fatalistic & head boldly into more lighthearted territory. Beyond such definitions, it’s simply beautiful to listen to.
- by Jonathan Widran

Custódio Castelo, Guitars
Ricado J. Dias, Piano
Alexandre Silva, Viola, guitar
Fernando Maia, Viola basso, Bass guitar
Miguel Carvalhinho, Classical Guitar on ‘Choro’

1.Образ iso нужно записать на DVD диск программой ImgBurn, получив в итоге SACD-R.
Какие стационарные SACD плееры играют и не играют рипнутые SACD диски (SACD-R)? (обсуждение).
2.Для проигрывания на компьютере: foobar2000 + sacd-плагин к нему (открывать образ прямо в foobar2000).
Воспроизведение и конверсия SACD на компьютере (обсуждение).