Last year, Rogê brought over two decades of experience in the MPB scene to the international stage with Curyman, his first US release. Having fully moved from his home in Rio de Janeiro to Los Angeles, he returns with Curyman II, another set of samba-based tracks through which he connects his carioca roots with his new Angeleño life. Finely produced and aurally fresh, it’s a delightful listen, with Rogê’s musicianship and love for 20th-century Brazilian musical styles on full and colorful display. Budos Band‘s Thomas Brenneck is at the production helm (both Curyman installments have come out on his Diamond West label), and his affinity for the vintage and the soulful is an excellent match for Rogê’s overall style.
After a brief introductory track, the first full song is “100% Samba”, a warmly retro tribute to the music that inspires Rogê and the people for whom it has meaning. He traces the history of the titular genre from Angola to Brazil, hailing it as a genuinely Brazilian form for this transnational path. Written with pagode pioneer Arlindo Cruz, it makes for a vibrant beginning to the album; its catchy hooks are the right kind of irresistible to keep listeners engaged for the entire remainder.
It’s fitting that the first sounds to follow this celebratory piece are those of Rogê’s guitar. “A Lendo do Abaeté” is luscious and hypnotic, a piece in sinuous motion bookended by tantalizing flourishes. This instrument is a constant presence throughout Curyman II, with its most thrilling moments taking place during “Old Diamond West”, when it works with violins, and a handful of other instruments and wordless voices in a fast-paced dance that could have come straight from a tropical 1960s film score.
The other textures that fill out Curyman II are every bit as evocative, sometimes in surprising ways. The synths on “O Topo Do Conqueiro” are another touch of nostalgia. When they reappear on “Rio de Janeiro a Janeiro” and “A Força”, they make for especially modern touches even amid melodic references to funky 1970s tropicália.
A playful bassline makes the single “A Rã”, originally by João Donato and Caetano Veloso, one of the most enjoyable listens on the record. Crucial throughout, the percussion work is especially subtle and intriguing on “A Revolta Dos Malês”, a song whose name comes from the 19th-century revolution of enslaved African Muslims in Brazil, crucial to ending slavery on a national level. Curyman II ends with the gentle “Vida Voa”, full of strings and bittersweet saudade.
For fans of samba and bossa nova, Rogê’s Curyman II is a heartfelt homage to these enduring and quintessentially Brazilian styles of music. There’s enough substance in these throwbacks, though, to make them worthwhile in their own right. Rogê is a seasoned professional who knows how to spin the past into music relevant to his listeners. He may have switched hemispheres, but he’ll undoubtedly find an audience just as eager for his conjuring.