The Guardian ( London ) ****

Vinicius Cantuaria is the doyen of Brazilian singer-songwriters – more melodic than Caetano Veloso, more consistent than Gilberto Gil and with more talent than Max de Castro, Otto and Patricia Marx put together. If more people covered his songs, we’d be talking about him as the new Tom Jobim. In fact Cantuaria covers Jobim’s A Felicidade on this record in a subtle, self-effacing way that erases the memory of a dozen bad bossa versions. If it’s bossa nova, it’s a very 21st-century version: subtle electric and acoustic and sounds co-exist throughout. Trumpeter Michael Leonhart add cool parts to a handful of tracks, while songs such as Pena de Mim and Nunca Mais make clever and moving use of a small string ensemble. It’s an album for wining, dining and slow dancing that sounds equally good the morning after.
So if you’re a famous singer with crap material (and you know who you are), go and rescue your credibility by covering a Cantuaria song. Right now! – John L Walters.