Summer is over--where did I go? I was here, unfortunately, working. Chicago is in the middle of its annual World Music Festival, and if the weather holds tonight it's all about Seu Jorge and Orquestra Imperial. Lots of Brazilian music this year--Celso Fonseca, Badi Assad, Domenico + 2, Wilson das Neves, Rubinho Jacobina. Finally. That country keeps it coming--there's a good new album by Gal Costa, but the record that's most captivated me is by Curumin (aka Luciano Nakata Albuquerque). The bio sez he was born to Spanish/Japanese parents. I don't know if that means they were both Japanese/Spanish, or he got one of each nationality. Doesn't really matter; dude is Brazilian. His album Achados e Perdidos was released in his homeland on the fine Ybrazil imprint (home to Clara Moreno, Instituto, Andrea Marquee), but in the US it's on DJ Shadow's Quannum Projects, a fact that initially made me look beyond this CD. For the moment, that was a mistake. I don't know if this is one of those albums that won't get kind treatment from time, but right now it's all simpatico.
If I want to be nasty and mean, I think of Curumin as Brazil's answer to Jamiroquai (I said if I wanted to be nasty and mean), but I can't stand that doofus, and I'm digging Curumin. What they ultimately share is a major Stevie Wonder jones, but perhaps because of the language differences, the groovy Brazilian rhythms, and some killer uke picking (giving a strong cavaquinho feel), there's enough to separate Curumin from a dopey imitator like that British knob in the stupid hat. This track is the one most catching to my fancy, with that squiggly synthesizer line making me think of "Boogie On Reggae Woman." Curumin covers "You Haven't Done Nothing," and while it doesn't sound like the Red Hot Chili Peppers or anything, he does Stevie better when he's actually playing original material like this one.
Peter is so right on about all of this, well except that no matter how you feel about him, Jamiroquai's new album Dynomite deserves a fair listen - especially funkaliciously soulful tracks like "Feels Just Like it Should,"Sunny Day in June" and "Black Devil Car." But meanwhile, Curumin is truly the perfect tonic for any Fulfillingness-era Stevie Wonder and Samba Rock lover. What a discovery!
Posted by: Louisiana14 | September 26, 2005 at 04:31 PM
I am A curumin,s friend in São Paulo, Brasil. I like that your music is expandind over the world.
He is drummer too. He plays in band of Arnaldo Antunes, great brazilian artist composer and singer.
Posted by: Raimundo Alfaia | October 11, 2005 at 05:13 PM