Caymmi refined Mateus Sartori reveals the lyrical Dorival in Dois de Fevereiro. Daniella Thompson 14 January 2008 Dorival Caymmi is one of the giants of Brazilian song, both as a songwriter and as a performer. At his prime, Caymmy’s rich baritone infused his music with masculine vigor. Yet the songs possess a gentle lyrical quality that reveals new shades of meaning through a tenor’s voice. The singer Mateus Sartori of São Paulo is such a tenor. He possesses the refined perception and the vocal skills required to draw out the embedded lyrical content in Caymmi’s songs. In producing Dois de Fevereiro, an album dedicated to the songs of Caymmi, Sartori had the best of help. The producer and co-musical director is Rodolfo Stroeter, best known as an ace bassist (he’s played with Joyce for many years) and the founder of the Pau Brasil record label (alas, no longer with us). The two fashioned a voice-and-guitar album in which the accompanist changes with each song. And the seven guitarists are no slouches—one couldn’t ask for better: Paulo Bellinati (“Dora,” “Quem Vem pra Beira do Mar”); Guinga (“Só Louco”); Chico Saraiva (“Beijos pela Noite,” “A Jangada Voltou Só”); Webster Santos (“Acaçá,” “O Samba da Minha Terra” & “Você Já Foi à Bahia?”); Jardel Caetano (“Promessa de Pescador,” “Valerá a Pena”); Edmilson Capelupi (“Doralice”); Diego Figueiredo (“Rosa Morena,” “Dois de Fevereiro”); and Mário Gil (“Sargaço Mar”). Webster Santos’ accompaniment in “O Samba da Minha Terra”— bouncy and full of notes—is followed by Guinga’s minimalist execution in “Só Louco.” But Santos, too, is capable of the lesser-said approach, as in the ruminative “Acaçá.” Diego Figueiredo’s guitar turns the normally rollicking “Dois de Fevereiro” into a gentle fantasia. With such diversity in the accompaniment, the album gains fresh perspectives and variety of execution while maintaining unification of theme and sound by way of the material and Sartori’s beautifully expressive voice. In Brazil, Dois de Fevereiro was released in a special CD+DVD edition. The version available in the U.S. appears to include only the CD. Listen to Dois de Fevereiro on Mateus Sartori’s website. Mateus Sartori at MySpace. Digital purchase at Audio Lunchbox. Mateus Sartori: Dois de Fevereiro (Mateus Sartori MSCC 022) 2007; 45:42 min. Songs by Dorival Caymmi Produced by Rodolfo Stroeter Mixed and mastered by Mario Gil 01. Acaçá 02. Rosa Morena 03. Promessa de Pescador 04. Dora 05. Beijos pela Noite (Caymmi/Jorge Amado/Carlos Lacerda) 06. Doralice 07. Quem Vem pra Beira do Mar 08. A Jangada Voltou Só 09. Sargaço Mar 10. O Samba da Minha Terra 11. Só Louco 12. Dois de Fevereiro 13. Valerá a Pena 14. Você Já Foi à Bahia?   Copyright © 2008 Daniella Thompson. All rights reserved.