Sao Paulo Confessions

with Joгo Parahyba and Cibelle (2000)

Yugoslavian-born producer Suba moved to Sгo Paulo, Brazil, in the late 1980s, bringing with him experience in jazz, classical music, theater, ballet, and film. Sгo Paulo Confessions brings the 18-million-strong city to musical life with an ambitious and unique fusion of classic Brazilian styles and modern electronics. The result is a magical blend of Afro-Brazilian rhythms, dreamy vocals, and forward-looking techno.

--Marc Greilsamer

First heard on the Brasil 2 Mil: The Soul Of Bass-O-Nova compilation, the late Suba was part of a new generation of South American musicians (although he was originally from Central Europe) who married airy melodies and percussion with the electronic scene. His music worked especially well because he was a trained musician, and he contributed not only programming but also keyboards to this record. Aided by various vocalists and percussionists, he created grooves that were a million miles from Latin dance but spoke both to Brazilians and club goers. There was a lushness to his sound that captivated, and when the percussion exploded, it came on like fireworks, not a firestorm. This is the sound of one of the world's biggest cities, where darkness can lurk even under the blue skies. It's a shame there'll be no more music from Suba. --Chris Nickson

Tributo

Cibelle Cavalli, Kaita B, Boyz of Brazil,

Phil Asher, Zero dB and Bigga Bush

(2002)

It's hard to imagine a CD that more succinctly sums up the complex rhythms and cross-cultural references of contemporary Brazilian music than Suba's Sгo Paulo Confessions, but Tributo comes close. Confessions, the one solo record Suba released before his untimely passing in 1999, confirmed the musician as one of global groove's leading lights after a production career that included work on Bebel Gilberto's hugely successful Tanto Tempo. Tributo is a testament to Suba's original vision, a remarkably cohesive collection of live tracks, remixes, and newly recorded interpretations of his urbane, percussion-driven signature sound. Every track here smolders and burns with passion and fire, from collaborations with vocalists Cibelle Cavalli and Kaita B to new tracks from Boyz Of Brazil and house producer Phil Asher, and remarkable remixes by Zero dB and Bigga Bush. In his lifetime, Suba tapped into and reprojected the teeming, throbbing street sounds of Sao Paulo, one of the world's largest and most densely populated cities. Even in death, his music plays on. --Carl Hanni (Amazon.com)