Escaping paternal shadows can be tricky for a musician, especially if that musician's name happens to be Lennon, Marley or Dylan. Brazil's Moreno Veloso, however, probably shares more in common with Nigeria's Femi Kuti. Both are sons of superstars in their native countries who virtually created their own genres of music. Caetano Veloso and Fela Kuti not only invented tropicalismo and afrobeat respectively, but were a source of inspiration to their people that went way beyond music.
Femi Kuti finally found respect and success -- most notably at home, but also around the world -- by adding a modern sensibility to the legacy of his father's on the album "Shoki Shoki." Now, Moreno Veloso has followed suit with his remarkable new CD, "Maquina de Escrever Musica" (released as "Music Typewriter" in Europe and America). Currently, the album is topping the World Music Charts Europe -- the first Brazilian release to do so in several years.
Veloso, who sings and plays acoustic guitar, calls his band Moreno + 2, the other two being longtime cohorts Alexandre Kassin on electric bass and Domenico Lancelloti on electronic drums and percussion. Also joining the sessions were the elder Veloso and Daniel Jobim, the son of another famous musician, Antonio Carlos Jobim.