Francesca Confortini & Ryan Mackenzie: Mosaico

There is a quiet conviction at the heart of Mosaico, a recording that treats Brazil's songbook not as a postcard scene but as a living repertoire. Vocalist Francesca Confortini and arranger Ryan Mackenzie have crafted the album as its title indicates: a patchwork of styles: samba, bossa nova, baião, and MPB; thoughtfully arranged alongside Brazilian rhythms and other musical elements. The result isn't fusion or pastiche, but something more solid, founded on respect for tradition.

The album opens with "Rosa Morena," a beloved piece by Dorival Caymmi, which has an easy swaying charm that captures the relaxed spirit of Bahia. Confortini approaches the lyric with warmth and gentle playfulness. The horns add bright, punctuated responses. The result feels festive without being overdone. "Casa Forte," by Edu Lobo, deepens the album's rhythmic language. Here, three vocalists—Confortini, Tereza Catarov, and Francesca Raimondi-Taylor—capture the song's inherent drive, with the horns providing layered phrases.

The familiar lines of "How Insensitive" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, with the English lyrics by Norman Gimbel, are sung by Confortini with restraint, allowing the melody's descending phrases to convey emotion rather than forcing sentiment. Luca Boscagin's guitar settles into a gentle pulse while the strings provide translucent color. "Accordi una Luna nel Cielo" is sung in Italian by Confortini, delivered in a delicate, almost conversational tone. Mackenzie scores the arrangement for the full ensemble, giving equal weight to the Italian- Brazilian heritage.

"Tarde em Itapoã" unfolds with reflective ease and a relaxed tempo. Confortini embraces the lyrics with a patient delivery. The intimacy of the original strings and the Brazilian percussion broadens the texture without disturbing the original musical intent. The Brazilian composer Gilberto Gil wrote "Eu Vim de Bahia" early in his career, bringing a celebratory lift with a buoyant samba groove. Confortini leans into the rhythmic bounce of the melody, her phrasing dancing lightly over the ensemble.

"Tristezza," a long-standing samba standard, introduces a lively and infectious rhythmic spirit. Confortini smoothly weaves the lyrics in Italian, highlighting the composition's pulsating foundation. The finale features the timeless "Carinhoso" by Pixinguinha and Braguinha, performed by Confortini with a simplified arrangement by Boscagin and percussionist Barak Schmool. Her interpretation is gentle yet straightforward, focusing on the melody's graceful flow. Overall, the album emphasizes its central theme; many colours are carefully blended into a unified musical expression.