Marcio Local says, “Don day don dree don don”: Adventures in Samba Soul

We Say...

Review by Peter Margasak

On his superb first album, Rio de Janeiro's Márcio Local unabashedly taps into the irresistible samba-soul sound made famous by his fellow countryman Jorge Ben, igniting a vibe that says beach, summer, soccer and dancing with just a single groove. Local was born in 1976, the year Ben released his classic Africa Brasil — and that simmering samba sound is alive and well on Don Day Don Dree Don Don. Local establishes himself immediately on the instant classic "Samba Sem Nenhum Problema," as squeaky cuica, tight horn charts, percolating Carnaval rhythms and propulsive guitar licks energize his easygoing cry — a voice that utilizes an impossible falsetto to extend the word "futbol" into five or six syllables.

Local is clearly inspired not only by Ben, but Brazilian legends like Wilson Simonal and Tim Maia as well, and he makes no explicit effort to self-consciously inject contemporary flavors — like hip-hop or electronica — into the music. In fact, when he does some effective rapping on "Soul Do Samba," it arrives as the most obvious thing in the world. The sweet tone of the four- stringed cavaquinho and furious pandeiro beats drive the comparatively lean "Quem Pode, Pode," while the beautiful mid-tempo burner "Sentimento Rei" borrows some nice triangle rhythms from Brazil's northeastern region and generates tons of warmth with some excellent electric piano patterns. These 11 original tunes make it plain that Local's talent transcends genre or fashionable sonic details, and producer Mario Caldato Jr., the former Beastie Boys knob-twirler who's returned to his native Brazil, does a killer job at capturing the richness of Local's music without polishing too much.