RHYTHMS

Badi Assad's music stikes a chord in your soul. At least one song on her CD will help you with whatever mood you are in and help you get through the day. A great CD for those commutes to work.

I received this item timely, and I have enjoyed the music.

This album is actually a Chesky Records recording of a live solo performance in St. Peter's Episcopal Church, New York City, from 1996. She is accompanied by Cryo Baptista on percussion for three songs. There are no overdubs or studio tricks here. Putting aside the fact that audience noise is absent, it is a faithful live recording. The results are stunning. Badi Assad is a gifted virtuoso of the highest order. She plays acoustic guitar in a wide variety of styles, employs extended vocal techniques (mouth-pops,scat etc.) as part of her deeply emotional singing, and at times uses a free hand or foot for percussive work--all this on a live stage! If there is anything missing here, it is the spectacle of her doing all of that onstage. (She now has a DVD which shows her at work, and there are glimpses on her youtube chanel as well). Rhythms kicks off with Pulo du Gato, a piece for solo guitar which showcases her amazing skills. Another instrumental piece, Pau Brasil, also confirms her tremendous gifts as a guitar player. Still, Assad is almost always at her best while also singing--either singing songs or scatting in her charming and totally unique way. Check out the beautiful and heartfelt song, Faixe, or the somewhat experimental and improvisational track, Moods, on which she scats through a vocoder. Badi Assad came to prominence on the world stage with this release, which was greeted by the music press with nearly universal acclaim. It was voted "Best Classical Guitar Album" of that year by the readers of Guitar Player, while the publishers of that magazine picked it as "Best Fingerpicking Album" of that year. It remains a strong document of a major talent captured on a small stage in NYC before becoming an international phenomenon. Badi Assad emerges here as a highly eclectic and soulful virtuoso.

Badi Assad is a true musical phenom from Brazil. Her technical ability on the guitar is astounding, yet she remains very lyrical. Her vocals are quite lovely as well. She often employs mouth pops, guitar slaps, and even an electric fan for percussion. Her work is always interesting and this is no exception. Some of my favorites are "Pulo do Gato", "Ica", "Feixe", and "Quase Um Funk P'ra Badi/Virus". The sound engineering is crystal clear, every nuance captured. This is a superb performance and recording.

Badi Assad demonstrates why she was voted best Brazilian guitarist

Really technically brilliant but sometimes she gets so wrapped up in rhythms and percussiveness that the pieces depart from being musical. All in all a really unusual style.

I am not impressed with this. She was hyped in the guitar magazines and I was expecting more. With the exception of the first song, this is pretty mundane and boring. An all guitar cd that is stripped down needs drama and passion. I do not get it.

This girl can really play!! She's got loads of technique, and lots of soul. She effectively blurs the lines between contemporary classical composition and brazilian pop. Although she is primarily a guitarist, the vocal work on this album is also very nice. Get the disk!!

Sie ist eine geniale Gitarristin und Sängerin,in beinahe jedem Stück beweist ihr Können und ihre Vielseitigkeit! Es macht einfach Spaß sie zu hören!!