Home » Jazz Articles » Live Review » Marisa Monte at Strathmore Music Center
Marisa Monte at Strathmore Music Center

Courtesy Leo Aversa
Strathmore Music Center
Bethesda, MD
March 10, 2022
Marisa Monte is a legendary Brazilian artist whose output moves effortlessly across multiple genres and who possesses both a stunningly subtle voice and a decidedly refined musical sensibility. All of these qualities were evident in her show in the Washington, DC area at the stately Strathmore Music Center.
For those unfamiliar with Marisa's music, it can be quite a challenge to neatly sum it up. She is able to compose highly refined yet accessible music which manages to combine harmonic sophistication with melodic immediacy without sacrificing widespread popular appeal. One encounters elements of samba, Brazilian MPB, jazz, classical instrumentation and arrangements as well as rock flourishes all expertly assimilated.
The list of musicians with whom she has collaborated is indicative of this wide range, virtually unheard of in a performer who reaches such large audiences.

Caetano Veloso
guitarb.1942

John Zorn
saxophone, altob.1953

Philip Glass
composer / conductorb.1937

Arto Lindsay
guitarb.1953

Marc Ribot
guitarb.1954
Monte's current tour includes a wide range of her classic compositions as well as features from her latest album, Portas (Sony Music, 2021) available in a beautiful limited edition CD exclusively at her live shows. The 8-piece band boasts a three man horn section featuring trombonist Antonio Neves who have made very intriguing rearrangements of many of Monte's classic tunes. The often close voicings from the horns are perhaps more reminiscent of arrangements from

Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Gil Evans
composer / conductor1912 - 1988
Monte herself is a moving and subtle vocalist whose voice is fully integrated into the ensemble which features all the musicians singly and collectively as much as it does her own voice and comfortable stage persona. Monte's striking presence is augmented by a wide range of beautiful costume changes, all done on stage, and supported by tasteful supporting visual media as well.
Longtime fans were ecstatic to hear classics ranging from the past 30 years such as "Beija eu and Ainda lembro" as well as the title track, "Portas." The concert ended appropriately enough with a moving a cappella version of Monte's "Bem que se quis," itself a poignant reworking of Italian great Pino Daniele's "E po' che fa.'"
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