With an organically rooted acoustic sound true to the honored form, vocalist Osawa is joined by guitar on all six tracks, with additional wind instruments (sax, flute, harmonica), hand percussion, and occasional backup voices from the band adding call and response dialogue and accents to the music. The songs selected for this album are from four names recognizable as leading songwriters and producers of Brazilian music: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Roberto Menescal, Milton Nasciemento, and Caetano Veloso. Rio includes two songs each by Jobim and Menescal, and one each by Nasciemento and Veloso.

Starting off the short set is the song “Rio” by Menescal, and the reference to a gentle breeze on the obi sleeve immediately makes itself felt - it’s a comfortable groove from Osawa’s quartet of voice, guitar, sax, and percussion. Next is Jobim’s unmissable “O Morro Não Tem Vez” (“Favela”) with the slick upbeat of a dance feel and a sly smiling expressiveness in the singing.

Track #3 is Veloso’s “Desde Que O Samba É Samba”, with more of that sweet caress of a bossa swing beat. Next is Nascimento’s “Cravo e Canela”, invoking the spirit of a street party taken home to a calmer, controlled after-hours affair where the music doesn’t stop.

Track #5 is Menescal’s “Telefone” played with a vintage bossa feel that breathes with a swinging mod pop-ness, one that would fit nicely as a novelty tune in a humorous scene a la Austin Powers.

Finally, the last track is Jobim’s lovely “Sabiá”, played intimately by Osawa and Yuichiro Hiroaka as a vocals and guitar duet, and the saudade voice of longing and light sadness adds another dimension to the otherwise joyful album.

Obi Notes

やわらかな太陽の光の下で心地よく吹く風にきっと幸福感に包まれる!
ブラジル音楽を愛する大澤理央の待望の1stミニアルバム遂に発売!

Under the sun’s gentle rays and carried by a gentle breeze, you sure to be engulfed in a feeling of happiness!
Finally released, the long-awaited first album from Brazilian music lover Rio Osawa!

Audio and Video

• “Rio” from Rio Osawa: Rio (track #1):

• “O Morro Não Tem Vez” from Rio Osawa: Rio (track #2):

• “Cravo e Canela” (track #4) - live version:

• “Sabia” (track #6) - live version:

• “Corrida de Jangada” - live version:

• Excerpt from track #2: “O Morro Não Tem Vez”

Sakai’s deep voice embraces the listener, dancing lightly through bossa novas and Latin-tinged music. The music is comforting, the musicians performing pieces that come and go in an uncomplicated manner, lulling the listener into a state of reassuring comfort. Sakai uses her voice gently yet confidently, producing an effect of sweet directness with an affectionate touch.

Suppressing tense energy and favoring intimacy, the album features vocal/guitar duo arrangements in traditional bossa nova fashion, with additional instruments (piano, saxophone, harmonica) sprinkled in lightly. Several songs feature Sakai singing simply with a guitar and one other instrument: Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Desafinado” and “Once I Loved”, as well as “Negaeri”, a ballad sung in Japanese as a gentle album closer.

While maintaining the calm atmosphere, three songs also feature Sakai singing with a jazz quintet: “Only Trust Your Heart”, “I Remember You”, and “The Island” all feature piano, guitar, horn, bass, and drums, coming together to create a wonderfully pleasant sound, like an island breeze drifting softly by.

Audio and Video

• Layla Tomomi Sakai performing live in 2017:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Only Trust Your Heart”