Blessed with an otherworldly voice and an Ellingtonian understanding of harmonic color, Veloso co-led the bossa nova and Tropicália movements of the late 1960s and has since taken on everything from funky samba workouts to ethereal balladry and orchestral pieces. His self-titled 1968 LP was a revolutionary statement, single-handedly launching Tropicália and helping to contemporize Brazilian popular culture in its embrace of international musical influences. Over 40 albums followed that have continued to expand the scope of Brazilian music, including his celebrated Carnegie Hall collaboration with David Byrne in 2004 and the 2007 rock-informed Nonesuch release Cê that earned two Latin GRAMMY Awards. For this night, Veloso brings music from 2021’s Meu Coco, his first album of new music in nearly a decade and his most direct and personal recording to date.
Now 81, Caetano Veloso has attained a global stature as a songwriter on par with the likes of John Lennon and Bob Dylan. His influence across musical genres and geographic borders has been vast, yet his riveting concert appearances remain the most important aspect of a legacy still in progress.