Zélia Duncan Albums (8)
'Amigo e Casa: Ao Vivo'
Release Date 1/1/2008
Tracks 18
Label Biscoito Fino
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What The Critics Say
Another exquisite Biscoito Fino release, this live CD/DVD documenting the encounter of singers Simone and Zélia Duncan constitutes an eloquent testimony to the ever astounding depth of Brazilian music, in terms of genres, composers, and performers. Indeed, the sheer number of superior female vocalists alone is astonishing. Take, for instance, Simone and Zélia Duncan. Both may be relatively unknown to international audiences compared to, say, Elis Regina or Gal Costa, but Simone was a superstar in Brazil in the '70s and '80s, and Zélia Duncan is one of the most interesting new voices that emerged in the '90s, together with Adriana Calcanhotto and Marisa Monte. Despite their difference in age, Simone and Zélia Duncan have in common rich, deep-register voices, peerless expressivity, and unerring taste (as well as extensive knowledge of Brazilian music) when it comes to choosing a repertoire. For their first tour together (Zélia had previously participated in Simone's 2005 live album), they can even afford the luxury not to rely on standards -- in fact, at least half the songs had not been previously recorded by either of the two. It appears clear that this show was conceived as a coherent whole to explore and integrate two creative personalities, rather than as an excuse to go over each singer's better-known hits. True to their musical curiosity, Simone and Zélia Duncan put together an eclectic set that seamlessly mixes the old with the new, picking gems (some fairly well known, some obscure) by composers from different generations and Brazilian regions, including Paulinho Moska, Arnaldo Antunes, Milton Nascimento, Sueli Costa and Abel Silva, Cássia Eller, Itamar Assumpção, Luiz Tatit, Guilherme Arantes, Gonzaguinha, and Roberto & Erasmo Carlos, among others. There is room for a solo mini-recital of four songs by each singer, but of course the heart of this album consists of Zélia and Simone's ten duets. None is more representative of the spirit of their reunion than the opening, Caetano Veloso's marvelous "Alguém Cantando." Indeed, this brief, humble, and moving-beyond-words celebration of the human voice and the pleasure of singing -- both the act, and listening to it -- is exactly what this record is about. ~ Mariano Prunes, All Music Guide
'Pre Pos Tudo Bossa Band'
Release Date 1/10/2006
Tracks 16
Label Universal International
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'Novo Millennium'
Release Date 4/25/2005
Tracks 20
Label Universal/Mercury
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'Eu Me Transformo Em Outras'
Release Date 11/23/2004
Tracks 20
Label Universal International
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What The Critics Say
At 38 years of age (22 as an artist) Zélia Duncan went into the studio and recorded 20 tracks that she says have been a special source of inspiration to her during her career as a singer. Always a joy to listen to, with her severe, dark, and soulful voice, Duncan is in great form on this album, which gained much praise from the critics. Dominating the repertoire are songs by classic Brazilian popular music composers such as Ary Barroso, Tom Jobim, Elthon Medeiros, Cartola, and Dorival Caymmi. The title of the album is taken from a line in the excellent opening track by the unconventional contemporary composer and artist Itamar Assumpção, and there is also a track by another famous "mad genius" of Brazilian music, Tom Zé. The musicians that joined Duncan in the studio for these recordings are all excellent and definitely help lift this basically acoustic album, where Duncan is backed chiefly by the sound of a bandolim, an acoustic guitar, and some light percussion. Several tracks are interpreted by Duncan as sambas and choros, but there are also a couple of ballads and more jazzy songs. Eu Me Transformo em Outras is a very fine album, worthy of all the praise it got when it was released. ~ Philip Jandovský, All Music Guide
'Zélia Duncan'
Release Date 10/12/2004
Tracks 12
Label Warner Music Brazil
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Zélia Duncan is an extremely successful pop singer from a newer generation in Brazil. Her stronger characteristic is her contralto timbre. Exploring several urban contemporary rhythms -- no Brazilian music -- she put almost all lyrics in this album's songs, which were mostly written by her partner Christiaan Oyens. Ranging from reggae to Dire Straits-inspired ballads, along with hip-hop and blues, she evidences a crush for American folk through some signals such as Oyens' mandolin playing (strumming à la American, when mandolin tradition in Brazil demands soloing and never strummed chords. She also plays the mandolin in that style). ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Zélia Duncan brings some hip-hop grooves to this pop album, which deals with Itamar Assumpção's "Código de Acesso" (with the creative melodic/percussive group Uakti trying to adapt themselves to the restrictive drum machine beat) and Renato Russo/Dado Villa Lobos/Negrete's "Quase Sem Querer." The rest of the album is dedicated to her originals with several partners, the most frequent being Christiaan Oyens. The general tone is directed to reach the dancing audiences. ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The third solo album by Zélia Duncan (influenced by Beck and Carlinhos Brown) sold 90,000 copies in the first month. After the ignored opening release (commanded by three different producers) and the hit "Catedral" (from her 1994 album Zélia Duncan), her concern here is to expose her true personality: a pop singer with a distinctive voice timbre with interest in rock and MPB ("Vou Tirar Você Do Dicionário," in spite of being a blues/funk hybrid, is the only non-original of the album, written by and with the participation of MPB composer/performer Luiz Melodia). The good news is the more direct, folk/blues approach, free from the excess of standardized keyboarding present in the first album. ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
