Barra 69 (Ao Vivo Na Bahia, No Teatro Castro Alves)

When Brazilian figures like Jorge Ben, Gilberto Gil, and Caetano Veloso were known by a only small coterie of hip insiders in the US, in Brazil these musicians were true celebrities, cultural icons and even, occasionally, political leaders. *Barra ’69* is a striking live document that finds Gilberto Gil and Caetano Velos sharing the stage at the height of their popularity. Though the sound quality leaves much to be desired, *Barra ’69* finds Veloso and Gil delivering impassioned duo performances of some of their finest compositions. The albums that Veloso and Gil released during this period featured rich, almost psychedelic production work, and it\'s exciting to hear new subtleties emerge in Gil and Veloso’s stripped back performances of pieces like “Cinema Olympia” (made famous by Gal Costa) and the delicate “Madalena.” Though rough around the edges, *Barra ’69* is a fine compliment to Veloso and Gil’s studio work and essential for Tropicalia fanatics.