Lins Captures Intensity of Brazilian Music

The songs of Ivan Lins are probably exceeded only by those of Antonio Carlos Jobim in the affection of jazz musicians. The reasons are easy to hear--lush harmonies, sweeping melodies, unusual song forms and unexpected shifts of key. And, with the release of “A Love Affair: The Music of Ivan Lins” (Telarc)--featuring performances by Sting, Vanessa Williams and others--Lins’ music is making inroads into the pop arena as well.

No one, however, does his songs as well as he does. At El Camino’s Marsee Auditorium Friday night, as the starring act in “Brazil Night,” Lins energized a moderate sized crowd with a set of number embracing both the familiar and the new. He started his program with a long, exhilarating medley of his older material before serving up a group of his more recent efforts. One of the highlights was his wordless theme for the film “Dois Corregos” (nominated for best pop instrumental in the 2000 Latin Grammy Awards). Another was a number he described as a Brazilian Caribbean piece, and a few others were ballads, filled with characteristic Lins musical surprises.

Beyond the undeniable appeal of the music, it was--as it always is in his performances--the passionate intensity of Lins’ delivery that brought the evening to life. His voice, roughly muscular at times, shifted easily into a fluid, high-pitched cry, delivering his songs with an intensity that reached beyond the specifics of language. One didn’t, in other words, have to understand Portuguese to get the message.

The concert opened with a set by Ed Motta, whose principal skills involved simulations of American soul-style singing and uncannily accurate vocal renditions of instrumental sounds. Singer Leila Pinheiro offered a more traditional program, singing familiar bossa nova era numbers by Jobim as well as a pair of Lins tunes. Her voice, a rich, dark contralto, was her primary asset, especially effective in a rendering of Jobim’s classic “Aguas de Marco.” And, in one of the more intriguing moments of the lengthy performance, the accompanying ensemble, Batacoco, offered a few numbers featuring showcase demonstrations of several instruments--among them the pandeiro (tambourine), the cuica (friction drum), cavaquinho (a small, ukelele-like guitar) and the surdo (bass drum)--providing a fascinating opportunity to hear into the rhythmic heart of Brazilian music.