Sol Negro is the debut album by the Brazilian musician Virginia Rodrigues.[3][4] It was released in 1997.[5] The album peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's World Albums chart.[6]
| Sol Negro | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1997 | |||
| Label | Natasha[1] Hannibal[2] | |||
| Producer | Caetano Veloso, Celso Fonseca | |||
| Virginia Rodrigues chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Caetano Veloso and Celso Fonseca; Veloso had "discovered" the singer at a rehearsal.[3][7] Djavan, Milton Nascimento, and Gilberto Gil contributed to the album.[8][9] The berimbau was used on several tracks.[10] A few songs are tributes to Rodrigues's Candomblé religion.[11]
Rodrigues sang a cappella on "Verônica".[12] "Manhã de Carnaval" is a cover of the Luiz Bonfá song; "Noite de Temporal" is a cover of the Dorival Caymmi song.[13][14] "Adeus Batucada" was made famous by Carmen Miranda.[15]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [16] |
| Robert Christgau | B−[17] |
| Edmonton Journal |  [13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [18] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [19] |
JazzTimes wrote that "Rodrigues’s contralto voice is otherwordly, spiritual, exquisite."[12] Robert Christgau noted that she "never stretches her rich, Ella-like highs into a scat—though the few midtempo numbers have a nice jazzy lilt ... her instincts are exceedingly solemn."[17] Rolling Stone stated: "The ancient and the modern, the secular and the sacred seamlessly mingle in this document of Brazilian musical forms."[20]
Miami New Times deemed the album "a simultaneously somber and uplifting cycle of songs focused on the African experience in Brazil."[21] The New York Times concluded that "the record is both modern and roots-conscious in the best ways that Brazilians know how to be: it swings from Roman Catholic church music to carnaval sambas, ancient Afro-Brazilian drum patterns to sophisticated wind-and-string arrangements, all sculpted with delicate care."[22] The Chicago Tribune considered Sol Negro to be the eighth best album of 1998.[23]
AllMusic wrote that Rodrigues's "first major recording succeeds in juxtaposing her ability to carry both lilting Brazilian rhythms and slow harmonious melodies.[16]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Negrume da Noite" | |
| 2. | "Lua, Lua, Lua, Lua" | |
| 3. | "Adeus Batucada" | |
| 4. | "Manhã de Carnaval" | |
| 5. | "Verônica" | |
| 6. | "Noite de Temporal" | |
| 7. | "Terra Seca" | |
| 8. | "Nobreza" | |
| 9. | "Sol Negro" | |
| 10. | "Querubim" | |
| 11. | "Israfel" |
References
edit- ^ "A Bolero bash, Manoella's Mujeres & Trevi's no-show". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 37. Sep 13, 1997. pp. LMQ6, LMQ18.
- ^ Ciabatonni, Steve (Nov 1998). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 63. p. 53.
- ^ a b "Virginia Rodrigues Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Sullivan, James (October 24, 1999). "Virginia Rodrigues' Divine Inspiration / Brazilian singer's religion touches her music". SFGate.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (October 30, 2003). "Virginia Rodrigues". Chicago Reader.
- ^ "Virginia Rodrigues". Billboard.
- ^ Irwin, Colin (Jul 18, 1998). "Virginia Rodrigues: Sol Negro". Music Week. p. 26.
- ^ Torres, Richard (8 Nov 1998). "Sonidos Latinos". Newsday. p. D29.
- ^ Obejas, Achy (13 Nov 1998). "Tuesday night at the Hothouse will be a holy night...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 52.
- ^ Oppegaard, Brett (28 Oct 1999). "Brazilian Songbird". The Columbian. Vancouver. p. F16.
- ^ Henry, Clarence Bernard (February 17, 2010). Let's Make Some Noise: Axé and the African Roots of Brazilian Popular Music. Univ. Press of Mississippi.
- ^ a b Breton, Marcela. "Virginia Rodrigues: Sol Negro". JazzTimes.
- ^ a b Levesque, Roger (17 Oct 1998). "CD Reviews". Edmonton Journal. p. C4.
- ^ Holston, Mark (Nov 1998). "Sol Negro". Americas. Vol. 50, no. 6. p. 57.
- ^ Rotella, Sebastian (24 Oct 1999). "Brazil's Force of Nature". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Sol Negro". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Virginia Rodrigues". Robert Christgau.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 97.
- ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 648.
- ^ Berger, Arion (Feb 18, 1999). "Sol Negro". Rolling Stone. No. 806. pp. 60–61.
- ^ Athitakis, Mark. "Virginia Not So Plain". Miami New Times.
- ^ Ratliff, Ben (13 Sep 1998). "Virginia Rodrigues — 'Sol Negro'". The New York Times. p. 2:102.
- ^ Kot, Greg (6 Dec 1998). "Our Critics Choose the Best Albums of the Year". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 8.