Sol Na Cara.

• Author: Holston, Mark

Vinicius Cantuaria (Grammavision GCD 79518)

Pity the poor bossa nova, so lovely and vulnerable, so ripe for exploitation. In the four decades since it emerged as the music of choice of Rio's intellectual elite, the beguiling style has been all but smothered by the affections of misguided suitors.

Singer/guitarist/composer Cantuaria's performance on this serene, low-key album is a timely reminder of the grace, simplicity, and melodic sophistication that denote bossa's unadulterated essence, qualities that insure the genre's classic status. The Amazonia native's writing is deeply rooted in the romanticism of the late Antonio Carlos Jobim, while his guitar technique echoes the ground-breaking style of Joao Gilberto. Cantuaria's cool, understated vocals pay homage to the reclusive Gilberto's hush-toned musings, while the buoyant, sunny...