album rating: ★★★★☆
a) Genre
Contemporary Portuguese song / Neo-fado. Do Avesso (meaning 'inside out' or 'wrong side out') represents a broadening of Zambujo's musical scope beyond his characteristic neo-fado and Cante Alentejano roots. The album incorporates elements of orchestral chamber music, jazz, bossa nova, and Brazilian popular song, marking a more experimental and texturally rich direction than his previous work. The participation of the Orquestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa gives several tracks an orchestral dimension not previously heard in his studio catalogue.
b) Release
Original release: Som Livre (Brazil/Portugal, 23 November 2018), with distribution by Universal Music. The album was physically released in CD format and simultaneously on digital streaming platforms. No significant separate international label edition is documented, though the album was distributed internationally through Universal's network, receiving notable attention in France and the Netherlands. A promotional CD-R promo edition was also circulated ahead of the official release.
c) Production
Produced by a trio of Portuguese musicians: Filipe Melo (piano, Hammond B3, percussion, vocals), Nuno Rafael (guitar, acoustic guitar, percussion, electric bass, vocals), and João Moreira (trumpet, percussion, vocals). Executive producer was Tiago Cação. Filipe Melo was also responsible for all orchestral arrangements and orchestrations throughout the album. Recording and mixing engineer was Fernando Nunes; mastering was done by Andy Vandette. The album features the Orquestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa under the musical direction of maestro Vasco Pearce de Azevedo. Other contributors include guitarist Bernardo Couto, bassist Ricardo Cruz, marimba player Emilie Flop, and oboist David Costa
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d) Recording
Recorded at three studios: Atlântico Blue Studios (Lisbon, Portugal), Estúdio Vale de Lobos (Sintra area, Portugal), and Estudios Pé de Vento (location in Portugal). Mixed by Fernando Nunes. Mastered by Andy Vandette. The album features compositions by a wide range of Portuguese and Luso-Brazilian songwriters, including Luísa Sobral, Miguel Araújo, Mário Laginha (music) with João Monge (lyrics) for the lead single 'Sem Palavras', Pedro da Silva Martins, Aldina Duarte, Arnaldo Antunes, Cézar Mendes, and others.
e) Reception
Do Avesso was received with unanimous critical acclaim in Portugal and internationally. The jury of the Prémio José Afonso 2019 awarded the album first prize unanimously, noting that it represented 'not only the continuation of António Zambujo's extremely coherent journey, but also a highlight for the confirmation of his interpretative qualities and the great creative inspiration he reveals.' The jury further observed that 'each song of Zambujo tells a story, and each album is, in itself, a story, in the line of José Afonso.' The song 'Sem Palavras' was nominated for the 2019 Latin Grammy Award for Best Portuguese Language Song. International press was effusive: France Inter called Zambujo's music something that makes 'life lighter'; Jazzism (Netherlands) stated 'every song on this album is a pleasure to listen to'; Heaven (Netherlands) described it as showing 'Zambujo's extraordinary talent'. Le Parisien called him 'the singer with the golden voice who reinvents Fado with confounding ease'.
António Zambujo
António José Malheiro Zambujo (born 9 February 1975, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter and guitarist. He grew up in the Alentejo region with a deep immersion in Cante Alentejano, the polyphonic work-song tradition of southwestern Portugal. He began studying clarinet at the age of 8 at the Regional Conservatory of Baixo Alentejo. As a teenager he fell in love with fado and the recordings of Amália Rodrigues. He moved to Lisbon, where guitarist and composer Mário Pacheco introduced him to the renowned Clube do Fado in the Alfama neighbourhood. He also played the role of Francisco Cruz — Amália's first husband — in the long-running musical Amália (directed by Filipe La Féria), which toured for four years. He released his debut album O Mesmo Fado in 2002 on the Ocarina label, winning the award for Best New Voice of Fado from Rádio Nova FM that year. Subsequent albums have continued to broaden his musical horizons, incorporating bossa nova, jazz, and Brazilian popular song alongside his fado and Alentejo roots. His 2016 album Até Pensei Que Fosse Minha, a tribute to Chico Buarque, was nominated for the Latin Grammy for Best MPB Album. His 2018 album Do Avesso won the Prémio José Afonso in 2019. He has been described by the Museu do Fado as embodying 'the revival of Portuguese music'. His discography includes nine studio albums to date.
This text was generated by Claude (Anthropic). It may contain errors or inaccuracies.