Benji & Rita
Self-Released, 2019
8/10
A multi-cultural affair, New York’s Kaplan and Brazil’s Figueiredo come together with an all star ensemble where Kaplan arranged the tunes while Figueiredo handles lyrics and much of the singing.
“Sao Francisco E Brasileiro” starts the album with elegant strings before Figueiredo’s classically trained vocal acrobatics sweep in as the music takes on a cinematic quality, and “Piocera” follows with melodic flutes and playful percussion as the singing gets just as frisky.
With 20+ musicians on hand here, each tune offers fun surprises, such as the horn fun of “Santa Efigenia”, where Kaplan also sings, and the fluid, groove filled setting of “Impetuosa Atracao”, where horns, brass and keys all blend together beautifully.
Near the end, “Passatempo” is one of the most bare offerings with just a nylon guitar from Kaplan accompanying Figueiredo’s expressive pipes, while “Bryant Park” is one of the most orchestral moments, where cello, violin and a synth sitar back up Kaplan’s storytelling. The album ends on “A Moura do Maracaxa”, a sophisticated exit where tension and mood are both manipulated strategically.
Though this is their debut together, the pair’s chemistry is undeniable and the delivery flawless. Full of Brazilian rhythms, modern day chamber sounds, jazz and classical ideas, the strings, reeds and vocals are used here in cultured, timeless and creative ways that few could replicate.
Travels well with: Baden Powell- Images On Guitar; Guinga- Casa de Villa