AMG Review of Cidade do Salvador

Evan C. Gutierrez
All Music Guide

In the course of his career, Gilberto Gil has been known to wear many hats. Included in that long list is commercial writer, songwriter, political activist, political prisoner, ex-patriot, politician, and finally, world-renown recording artist. Oddly enough, only one was necessary to capture the imagination of a wide array of fans. From Brazilian nationals, loyal to the sound and spirit of the Tropicalia movement, to European world music audiences, to a strong following in American jazz circles, Gil enthralled a variety of listeners with one distinct, luminescent sound. His 1978 release Cidade do Salvador is a prime example of not only the inventive, rule-breaking innovation that became his trademark, but also a testament to his prolific, voluminous writing ability. At 25 tracks, each more charming and intelligent than the last, an album of this girth and quality will give the listener loads of material to unravel and appreciate. There are long stretches of Gil solo, the body of the album in fact, unaccompanied and under-produced, with full-band tunes acting as bookends. The variety is refreshing. His large group arrangements are a swirling amalgam of '70s funk sounds and Brazilian folklore, but do not allow enough space to really appreciate the more delicate qualities in his guitar playing, or the finer nuances of his vocal performance. Cidade do Salvador is two albums, not only in its size, but in its ability to bring two versions of Gil -- two artists, two aesthetics.