‘Red, Hot’ Takes a Pleasant but Bumpy Road to Rio

The ninth release in the Red Hot organization’s collection of concept albums aimed at raising money to benefit people with AIDS takes on a major task this time out. Designed as an informal tribute to the music of Brazil, from bossa nova to tropicalismo, it also honors the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Aside from the music, the focus of the album is important. Brazil has the most significant rate of HIV infection in Latin America, with an AIDS case level that ranks among the five highest in the world.

As with some previous Red Hot releases, the emphasis is on mixing, matching, crossing over and blending, sometimes between Brazilian and American acts, sometimes with unlikely combinations of repertoire and performers. Often, this results in some unexpectedly attractive get-togethers. But at other times--specifically because there are more differences between Brazilian music and American pop than are superficially apparent--the mergers sound forced and artificial.

In fact, it is testimony to the unique character of Brazilian music that the most appealing tracks are those that remain closest to the original sources. The interpretations that attempt to insert the Brazilian rhythms and melodies into the framework of hip-hop beats and soul phrasing are as determined but essentially off the mark as, say, a French or Japanese singer trying to do rap.

Among the highlights: a too- brief version of Milton Nascimento singing “Dancing . . . “; Gilberto Gil doing a brisk, contemporary reading of “Refazenda”; a lovely, impromptu rendering of “Preciso Dizer Que Te Amo” by Brazilian group Cazuza with singer Bebel Gilberto; a convincing collaboration of Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora, Brazilian singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso and Japanese techno-whiz Ryuichi Sakamoto on “E Preciso Perdoar”; a determined-to-be-authentic George Michael romantically singing “Desafinado” with Astrud Gilberto; and the high-voltage, rock-oriented meeting of Brazil’s Chico Science and DJ Soul Slinger on “Maracatu Atomico.”

Sting’s vocal overdub on Jobim’s recording of “Insensatez” also comes off well, in part because of the similarity in timbre between the voices. The partnership of David Byrne and Marisa Monte on “Waters of March” is less successful, handicapped by the huge disparity between Monte’s ethereal vocal, Byrne’s too-literal interpretation of the lyrics and some noisy, out-of-context backing for the final choruses. But the combination of Ana Caram’s sweet inflections and the soulful voice of Omar (with some intense rhythmic framing by Incognito) is an effective vehicle for “Water to Drink.”

The performances by non-Brazilian artists have a few highlights as well. The English duo Everything but the Girl was the right choice for “Corcovado,” and R&B; singer Maxwell’s Stevie Wonder-tinged take on “Seguranca” possesses a gentle, understanding truthfulness.

Other tracks--Money Mark’s melody-less “Use Your Head,” the Mad Professor’s cluttered “Black Orpheus Dub” and the alliance of Stereolab and Herbie Mann in a too-long aural exploration of a medley of “One Note Samba”/”Surfboard”--emerge mostly as fillers between more interesting material.

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Hear ‘Red, Hot + Rio’

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