Bird of Paradise
Studio album by
Djavan
Released1988
GenreSamba
LabelColumbia Records
ProducerRonnie Foster
Djavan chronology
Não É Azul Mas É Mar
(1987)		 Bird of Paradise
(1988)		 Djavan Puzzle of Hearts
(1989)

Bird of Paradise is an album by the Brazilian musician Djavan.[1][2] It was released in 1988 via Columbia Records, part of a Brazilian push by the label that also included albums by Milton Nascimento (Yauaretê) and Simone (Vicio).[3][4]

Production

The album was produced by Ronnie Foster.[5] Three of its songs are sung in English; Djavan had others write the lyrics to them.[6] Djavan recorded the album in Los Angeles, using session musicians.[7]

"Stephen's Kingdom", to which Stevie Wonder contributed, is about the South African township of Soweto.[8][9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[8]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]

The Sun Sentinel wrote that Djavan's "voice is a clear, strong, masculine baritone, his guitar distinctly grounded in but not enslaved to the samba beat, the melodies are long, lilting, undulating lines rising above a plush, complex harmonic carpet."[13] The Boston Globe thought that "Djavan's upbeat Anglo-Brazilian pop will appeal to West Coast jazz fusion fans as well as pop listeners."[14]

The Washington Post determined that "as slick and predictable as it is, though, the album is redeemed by a few of Djavan's lyrics, including the compulsive love song 'Madness' and the temptress tale 'Miss Susanna'."[5] The New York Times concluded that "as a singer, Djavan doesn't have the angelic, impeccable intonation of Mr. Nascimento or Mr. [Caetano] Veloso; he sounds a little more fallible and earthly, perhaps more approachable for American pop listeners."[15] The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "predictable, Westernized funk."[16]

AllMusic called the album "full of strong, haunting, lusciously melodic songs often backed by that gently jumping, uplifting rhythm that runs through much of his material."[10]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Carnaval in Rio (Carnaval No Rio)" 
2."Bird of Paradise" 
3."Apple (Maçã)" 
4."Real" 
5."Madness (Doidice)" 
6."Stephen's Kingdom" 
7."Bouquet" 
8."Take Me (Me Leve)" 
9."I Will, I Won't (Dou-Não-Dou)" 
10."Miss Susanna" 

References

  1. ↑ McGowan, Chris; Pessanha, Ricardo (December 20, 1998). The Brazilian Sound: Samba, Bossa Nova, and the Popular Music of Brazil. Temple University Press. ISBN 9781566395458 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ "As Brazilian pop...". USA Today. 30 June 1988. p. 1D.
  3. ↑ "Djavan Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  4. ↑ Casuso, Jorge (31 July 1988). "A TOUCH OF JAZZ FROM BRAZIL". Chicago Tribune. Arts. p. 27.
  5. 1 2 Joyce, Mike (22 July 1988). "Boss Nuova Music: Best of New Brazil". The Washington Post. p. N21.
  6. ↑ Duncan, Amy (31 Aug 1988). "A major Brazilian star reaches out to the US". The Christian Science Monitor. Arts.
  7. ↑ Stewart, Zan (17 Sep 1988). "Brazil's Djavan Would Like to Sing to the World". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 2.
  8. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 48.
  9. ↑ Nix, Phyllis (Nov 1988). "The Sound of Brazil". The Crisis: 8.
  10. 1 2 "Bird of Paradise - Djavan | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  11. ↑ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 223.
  12. ↑ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 203.
  13. ↑ Ginell, Richard S. (23 Sep 1988). "DJAVAN LETS BRAZILIAN SOUND SOAR ON OWN MERITS". Sun Sentinel. FEATURES SHOWTIME. p. 18.
  14. ↑ Gonzalez, Fernando (14 Aug 1988). "TIME IS NOW FOR BRAZILIAN MUSIC". The Boston Globe. p. A4.
  15. ↑ Pareles, Jon (25 Sep 1988). "A Brazilian-American Cultural Exchange". The New York Times. p. A64.
  16. ↑ Moon, Tom (21 Oct 1989). "BRAZIL'S DJAVAN BRINGS CONFLICTING STYLES TO U.S.". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D5.
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