Fernanda Takai, brazilian singer remember Nara Leão....

Young in Rio de Janeiro, the first time I saw and heard Nara Leão fell in love. It was a show of bossa nova - the new fashion recently invented by Joao Gilberto. Bossa nova was not just a song, was a state of mind, said Ronaldo Boscoli, host of the show and boyfriend of Nara. He knew whereof he spoke: it was the embodiment of the new aesthetic of bossa nova, with his little voice and his great timidity, a modern girl of Copacabana with a European feel and a look middle eastern, free, independent and very different from all girls who I knew.

Thereafter turned her fan, and soon after, and until the end, also his friend and partner in musical adventures. Followed closely the trajectory only in Brazilian music, first as a muse of bossa nova, then as founder of the MPB and voice opposition to the dictatorship, Nara sweet warrior tropicalista first time, revealing talent, breaking prejudices, renewing the samba and chôro , bossa nova and MPB, Nara eternally modern, intelligent voice of Brazil.

Moreover, as few artists of his time, Nara led his life and career with freedom, independence and integrity and always did what he wanted, as he wanted and when his heart of a lion sent. 40 years later, I heard the Pato Fu and Fernanda Takai, I saw your clips. Loved. My first impression was a high compliment: wow, this girl is the Nara Leão pop rock. The opposite of exuberance and vulgarity of pop stars, Fernanda was discrete and unique, stylish and cool, had a look middle eastern and sang intelligent lyrics and ironic gently and firmly, as a modern girl, timid and talented as Nara in 1959.

When I finally met Fernanda, in 2006, could not resist and suggested that she would be the ideal singer to make a great record with modern reinterpretations of songs that marked the career of Nara. To my surprise, she knew several, and liked, the father played the discs Nara for her since childhood. I asked for a list of suggestions and said he would do something with John at his home studio and would have me. And then came one, great, then another, pretty, different and another, beauty!

All in mp3 by email, I responded with praise and sugestõezinhas, and when we look, and listen, we were ready with a disk! And very beautiful, which certainly Nara listen with pleasure, joy and pride, a record that honors his memory and to revive and renew. Just like that, almost by accident, wanting very much. Fernanda's face, the face of Nara.

The most interesting of this album made at home and co-produced at a distance is that for his generation and training pop rock, Fernanda and John had little familiarity with the universe rhythm of the samba, choro and bossa nova Nara, which resulted in readings amazing and renewing all the songs, chosen from among the most important career of Nara. The pop, rock, folk, jazz, dixieland, the ballad, techno, soul, John White and Fernanda (with the help of luxurious multi-purpose keyboards Lulu Camargo) renew and reinvent great songs from masters such as Chico Buarque, Ze Keti, Roberto and Erasmo Carlos, Caetano Veloso, Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, Ernesto Nazareth and Nelson Cavaquinho, with beats, loops, grooves, sounds, solos and arrangements of the third millennium. The grace and good taste, elegance and discretion - and a middle eastern look - combine the delicacy and intelligence of the music of Nara and Fernanda.
Nelson Motta, October 2007
http://www.myspace.com/fernandatakai