The term “musical citizen of the world” may be bandied about a bit too casually at times, but it’s authentically embodied by the life and career of Italian born, Rio based international performer Mafalda Minnozzi, who brings her spirited, delightfully breezy and wildly adventurous bossa coolness to the aptly titled Riofonic, her fourth album for the U.S. market.
More than just a “fun fact,” one of the most compelling elements of her personal and professional history is that moving to Brazil was essential because the ocean breezes there freed her from debilitating asthma. Her relocation also quite naturally shifted the focus of her artistry, and beautiful, multi-faceted recordings like Riofonic are blessings fans of Brazilian music can be grateful for.
Produced by New York guitarist arranger and musical director Paul Ricci and featuring an ensemble of Brazilian jazz greats (most prominently, vocalist/guitarist Roberto Menescal), the generous and expansive 14 track collection captures the heart and soul of Mafalda’s adopted home country, from the brisk, free-flowing opener “Rio” (co-written by Menescal) through a charming, carefree stroll through the Jobim standard “Agua De Beber.”
It’s practically a sin for a modern retro-styled Brazilian themed album to not have a few fresh twists of Jobim, and the singer delivers mightily on that foundation, infusing fresh beauty into a delicately arranged “Corcovado,” having some funky, sexy fun on the whimsy-filled “So Danco Samba” and discovering new charms on what is truly the Brazilian national anthem, “Garota de Ipanema.”
There’s a lot of joy beyond the Jobim as well, including a few originals co-written by Mafalda and Ricci, including the silky heartbreaker “Café South American Style” (featuring Marcelo Martins on sax) and the infectious, gently percussive “Postcard from Rio,” which, along with a haunting take on Luis Bonfa’s “The Gentle Rain,” reveals that Mafalda can be just as dreamy and emotional weaving a narrative in English.
Truly engaging and quite brilliant in its ability to transport listeners to a gentle, balmy and joyous place, Riofonic is an early 2025 release that should be a shoo-in for year-end Top 10 lists later down the line.
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