Florence K’s affection for Brazilian music, particularly that of Antônio Carlos Jobim, dates back to CEGEP. Until now, this was mainly heard live, because she has never recorded her songs, except for a few in their English versions with crooner Matt Dusk on their album called Quiet Nights – short for Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars, title given to Corcovado in English.
Brazil my love brings together some of the most universally known titles composed by the man nicknamed Tom Jobim: Agua de Beber, Desafinado, Corcovado, Insensatez, So Danço Samba, Chega de Saudade, etc. Songs created or performed over 50 years ago by monuments like Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto, Elizeth Cardoso and many others. To do them again is to compare yourself to the greatest.
The approach here is economical: the music mainly relies on the guitar of Belgian Nicolas Fizsman, whose visit to Montreal in Nick Petrowski’s studio is said to have motivated the recording of the disc. Her playing is exceptionally fine, and the few piano notes slipped by Florence K naturally embellish this soft and warm music.
This Florence K record does not lack elegance, therefore. On the other hand, it turns out to be very predictable. We don’t have the feeling of having access to a personal vision of these titles heard a thousand times and covered a thousand times over the last 60 years. The most beautiful pieces are those where Florence’s voice is more rounded than graceful (Dindi and Insensatez, in particular), which gives the impression that they are more inhabited than the others.
And it’s a shame, but it must be said: the duet between the singer and her daughter, who make Aguas de Março in a bilingual version (Portuguese, French), then in French at the very end of the album, is the least successful track on the album. Florence K delivers here a record of too wrapped up romanticism, perfectly in the expected tone, but just too cautious to really stand out.