Veloso Captures Show For Universal

Following his Latin Grammy win for best musica popular Brasileira album for Noites do Norte (Universal Music Brazil), Caetano Veloso has just released in Brazil Noites do Norte Ao Vivo (also on Universal Music Brazil), a two-CD live album that includes tracks from the original Noites do Norte.

But apart from that, Ao Vivo is unique in that it features a full concert—more than two hours of music. "It's the most complete live album I've ever made," Veloso says. "It includes the entire concert, with the songs appearing in the same order as the concert's set list."

Veloso adds that the album is almost like a "documentary" of the show, recorded during the first phase of his Noites do Norte tour.

The theme of Brazilian slavery abolition that was explored in Noites do Norte also appears on the live album in nine of its songs, most of them on the first disc. That disc also features an acoustic set, for which Veloso sings eight tracks accompanied by guitar, including "Mimar Vocí." The track is reminiscent of "Sozinho," the Peninha-penned song that propelled Veloso's previous live album to sales of more than 1 million copies.

" 'Mimar Vocí' is a song [by the] Bahian group Timbalada," Veloso says. "It's one of the most beautiful and wonderful songs they've ever made."

On the second disc, Veloso revisits both popular material and more intense songs, such as "Haiti" and "Lingua." There are also tracks written by other artists, including Lulu Santos' "Como Uma Onda." Santos performs the song with Veloso for the album.

Veloso is currently on a tour that includes eight sold-out dates at Buenos Aires' Grand Rex Theater.

Noites do Norte Ao Vivo is slated for European release by Universal Dec. 10. It will be released by Nonesuch in April 2002 in the U.S.