Preview written for Time Out Sao Paulo August 2011:

Ed Motta
SESC Pinheiros

Ed Motta is that rare thing, a great Brazilian soul singer. In a country blessed with amazing voices, there are a surprising few that are able to belt out a powerful soul vocal. This is where Motta comes in. His work in the 90s saw him gain something of a following in the US, where they took a shine to his impassioned vocals and urban grooves. After this, he experimented a little with his sound, adding jazz licks and updating his production, possibly taking out a little of the raw quality that appealed to some people, and lost the odd fan along the way.

However, in 2009 he released Piquenique (the Brazilian way of saying “picnic”), with breezy, soulful gems like “A Turma da Pilantragem” and the title track, that suggested this was a man back to the top of his game.

It’s song from this album that Motta will be performing over two nights at SESC Pinheiros. Expect top-heavy grooves recalling Brazil’s soul great Tim Maia (whose worth checking out if you’re not familiar) as well as soul/jazz crossover artists like Roy Ayers and George Benson, and even a little of the funkiness of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.