Rosa Passos made her recording debut as a leader in 1979, but this 2003 Chesky CD may be her first to be released outside of South America. The Brazilian singer is paired with veteran bassist Ron Carter, who provides a solid melodic foundation for her throughout the date; the delightful Brazilian guitarist Lula Galvao; percussionist Paulo Braga, and, on a few tracks, veteran session musician Billy Drewes on tenor sax or clarinet. While the focus is clearly on the soft, effective vocals of Passos, who is extremely effective in her interpretations of bossa nova classics such as "Insensatez," "Desafinado," "Caminhos Cruzados," and "O Grande Amor," Carter's solos are also subtly swinging. Not satisfied with sticking exclusively to a well known repertoire, Passos is a superb interpreter of less familiar songs like Jobim's "Por Causa de Voce" (a duet with Carter, whose playing is phenomenal on this track) and the lively "Feitio de Oracao." The warm, very intimate sound throughout this studio date makes this a particularly memorable bossa nova release. ~ Ken Dryden

Rovi