Rosa Passos - Curare (1991/1994)

One thing that amazes me in Rosa Passos recording career is the ability she has to add more life to Brazilian classics. With 13 songs in Curare to prove that, Rosa shows why critics and other artists in Brazil were all covering her with praises after her debut album Recriação.

Moving from an all original repertoire in that release to a remarkable selection of songs in this album, Rosa showed in Curare that she was making herself a name in Brazilian music. Recording Bororó, Tom Jobim, Carlos Lyra, Haroldo Barbosa, Johnny Alf, Djavan and other Brazilian legendary songwriters was a decision of this consummate artist that has become a trade mark in her long-standing and successful career. Rosa does not shy away from recording a Brazilian classic because she knows how to infuse new vigor in just the right amount and place. With this album we also see the beginning of a long relationship with guitarist Lula Galvão. He and Rosa collaborated in the arrangements and also played acoustic guitar. This fruitful friendship became a constant in several other Rosa’s albums. Even though later on Rosa would record an entire album of Ary Barroso’s music (Letra & Música – Ary Barroso), here we find a nice rendition of the famous “Aquarela do Brasil” and the heavy-hearted “Folha Morta” featuring Boudrioua’s stirring sax solos. Tom Jobim also received an entire album by Rosa Passos (Rosa Passos Canta Antônio Carlos Jobim – 40 Anos de Bossa Nova), but here we already have an introduction of her contributions to Jobim’s songbook with four songs. In spite of the nice arrangements for all of these songs, I personally enjoy the other composers featured in Curare. The title track, for example, is so perfect for Rosa’s small voice. Blanco’s soft string accompaniment is kept to a minimum so that voice and guitar are more prominently featured. Rosa’s scatting introduction in “Tim Tim por Tim Tim” is winsome, and her moving rendition of Johnny Alf’s “Ilusão à Toa” is a perfect close to the album.