WOMAD

Mônica Vasconcelos & Hih

From Brazil, United Kingdom

These days Mônica Vasconcelos lives in London but her music remains firmly rooted in the Brazil where she was born. Indeed, exile has given her a fascinating perspective on the sounds with which she grew up, prompting The Guardian to recently call her ''a curator of Brazilian music, rediscovering her compatriots' sound and reinterpreting it in a coolly individual way". Born in Sao Paulo, a city that's a vibrant melting pot for every style of Brazilian music, she absorbed it all and by 17 was singing samba and bossa nova in local bars. She then joined the group Beijo but after university came to Britain to learn English. That was some 16 years ago and she's been here ever since, fronting the nine-piece outfit Nóis and the (smartly named) quartet Nóis 4, as well as recording half a dozen solo albums. Her latest release, Hih, features the great Robert Wyatt who, when asked what record he would take to a desert island if only allowed one album, nominated her album Gente. No higher praise.

Biog by Nigel Williamson