Red Hot + Rio: Pure Listening Pleasure

I got this CD on a whim a few years ago, and it's now one of my favorites. Like another reviewer said, I had to listen to it a few times before it grew on me. But that doesn't mean it's bad; that just speaks of its uniqueness. What "Red, Hot & Rio" offers is not something I'd ever heard before, or since, really.

There are several reasons I like this CD. For one, the proceeds go to benefit AIDS awareness efforts. Second, this is good "background" music -- even when upbeat it allows you to hold a conversation and not get distracted by the music. But the coolest thing is the selection of music itself.

"Red, Hot & Rio" contains almost a mini-evolution of Brazilian music. It starts out mellow and somewhat traditional. The sound of the bossa nova "Desafinado," for instance, is quite laid-back and timeless. But gradually, the music begins to rev up, as current performers experiment with classic sounds. Some techno beats are thrown in, some...Read more

If you like Bossa Nova, particularly Antonio Carlos Jobim, you will love this CD. It has covers by many current artists of his songs, as well as some other Brazilian music. I like how the liner has the lyrics in English, but almost all the songs are in Portuguese. The David Byrne Waters of March in an exception, where he sings in English, and a woman is singing in Portuguese, but it works out very well.

An excellent addition. I have most of the songs on the album on at least two other CDs, but the artists have played with the songs enough to complement the originals.

RED HOT + RIO is by far one of the best compilations out there. The album is an eclectic mix of Brazillian-influenced music (Samba, Porteguese, African, and Indigenous beats, ryhthms, and melodies). It doesn't matter if you don't know Porteguese, you'll find yourself humming a long, perhaps even dancing to the provocative and beautiful songs. I must have listened to this album through hundreds of times...it's perfect for long drives or as background music for dinner parties. The duets on this album are particularly strong; Astrud Gilberto and George Michael's duet and David Bryne and Marisa Monte's duet are very inspiring, sensuous, and beautiful. Overall, though, this album is a must have for anyone's collection. You'll certainly keep pressing repeat on this album.