This album and homonymous show were Maria Betânia's commemoration of her 50 years of age, 35 years of her career, and 35 albums. Differently than in other recent albums, where she has permitted herself the luxury of including cheesy songs in the "breganejo" style (which is in the top charts in Brazil), in this one the repertory is excellent, consisting of all-time classics and songs by new composers such as Adriana Calcanhoto and Carlinhos Brown. An acoustic album with sensitive violão (Jaime Além) punctuation, the world touch was given by special guests Zap Mama, Sabine Kabongo, and Angelique Wilkie. The general tone is romantic (but not corny), with excellent orchestral touches here and there, but Paulinho da Costa brings his percussive talents to the swinging "Invocação" and the subtle samba rendition for Ary Barroso's "Quando Penso Na Bahia" has a wonderful trombone (non-credited) in the best gafieira style. The album also has the special guest Chico Buarque. Attention also for the beautiful "Brisa," divided in an a cappella introduction and Brazilian viola backing. ~ Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
Jonathan Williams (Cello), Harvey Cohen (String Arrangements), Pauline Lowbury (Violin), Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion), Victor Biglione (Guitar (Steel)), Lain King (Violin), Guto Graça Mello (Producer), Antonio "Moogie" Canazio (Mixing), Antonio "Moogie" Canazio (Engineer), Sérgio Ricardo (Engineer), Celso Lessa (Assistant Producer), Alexandre Maurelle (Assistant Engineer), Perrota (Violin), Steve Tavaglione (Bass), Steve Tavaglione (EWI), Margot MacLaine (Viola), David Speltz (Cello), David Ewart (Violin), Johnathan Rees (Violin), Carlinhos Bala (Drums), Aizik (Violin), Gringo Cardia (Artwork), Tina Soule (Cello), Bill Brendle (Piano), Luis Paulo Serafim (Engineer), Manuel Bandeira (Poetry), Victoria Miskolszy (Viola), Roger Garland (Violin), Gary Wasserman (Contractor), Graham Preskett (String Arrangements), Simon Oswell (Viola), Marie Doulne (Vocals), Marcia Ramalho (Photography), Matthew Belcher (Viola), Ronald Clark (Violin), David Daniels (Cello), Luis Brasil (Arranger), Victor Biglione (Guitar), Bill Smith (Assistant Engineer), Marcia Miranda (Keyboards), Araken Dourado (Photography), Rita Manning (Violin), Steve Tavaglione (Trumpet), Eric Stonerook (Copyist), Dane Little (Cello), Ieddo Gouveia (Assistant Engineer), Gringo Cardia (Production Coordination), Jaime Alem (Arranger), Steve Tavaglione (?), Meia Noite (Tambourine), Jaime Alem (Viola), Liane Reynolds-Mautner (Violin), Harvey Cohen (Conductor), Minhis Zinovyev (Viola), Gary Kuo (Violin), Tony Morgan (Harmonica), Michel Bessler (Violin), Tamara L. Hatwan (Violin), Robert Smissen (Viola), Mike Wood (Assistant Engineer), Paul Kegg (Cello), Dave Stone (Bass), Miguel Martinez (Cello), Wilfred Gibson (Violin), Jaime Alem (Guitar (Acoustic)), Robin McGee (Cello), Barrie Belcher (Cello), Collin Applaton (Copyist), Michael DeSaulles (Violin), Rolf Wilson (Violin), Harvey Cohen (Arranger), David Ogden (Violin), Martin Loveday (Cello), Luciano Iorio (Viola), Guilherme Pereira (Make-Up), Marcia Miranda (Arranger), Tonia Davall (Contractor), Andrew Parker (Viola), Steve Tavaglione (Flute), Ivo Jan Vanderwerff (Viola), Armen Garabedian (Violin), Tim Gerron (Assistant Engineer), Debra Price (Violin), Andrew Picken (Viola), Marie Doulne (Arranger), Melissa "Missy" Hasin (Cello), Larry Corbett (Cello), Endre Granat (Violin), Alceu (Cello), Howard Ball (Violin), Michael Andreas (Copyist), Paschoal Perrota (Contractor), Roy Gillard (Violin), Jorge Helder (Bass (Acoustic)), Chris Vibbe (Engineer), Sebastian Toettcher (Cello), Mike Brittain (Bass), Ann Atkinson (Bass), Michael McMenemy (Violin), Carolyn Osborne (Violin), Boguslaw Kostecki (Violin), Janet Lakatos (Viola), Mark Berrow (Violin), Carlinhos Bala (Cymbals), Graeme Scott (Viola), Yura (Cello), Suzanna Giordono (Viola), Anthony Pleeth (Cello), Marie Doulne (Percussion), Jennifer Watson (Violin), James McLead (Violin), Angelique Wilke (Vocals), Dan Lacksman (Engineer), Luis Brasil (Guitar), Charlie Bisharat (Violin), Martin Robinson (Cello), Sandro (Assistant Engineer), Lisa Johnson (Violin), Miran Kojian (Violin), Maria Bethânia (Vocals), Peter Lale (Viola), Jonathan Strange (Violin), Maciej Rakowski (Violin), Graham Preskett (Conductor), Luis Brasil (Conductor), Cecilia Tsan (Cello), Chris Bellman (Mastering), Donald McVay (Viola), Brian Hawkins (Viola), Mathew Cooker (Cello), Sabine Kabongo (Vocals), Benedict Cruff (Violin), Jorge Helder (Bass), Dimitrie Leivici (Violin), Joel Derouin (Violin), Cynthia Morrow (Viola)
