James Taylor sounds positively aggro next to the soft-voiced Bishop, whose latest work deftly combines folk-pop conventions with lush Brazilian accents. As it happens, the unlikely mix bears an instant logic, the genteel Latin lilt a natural match for Bishop's cool croon.
Stephen Bishop's exquisite songs have often evoked a tropical mood. With the Brazilian- tinged Saudade, this Grammy and Academy Award nominated singer-songwriter takes listeners to a private resort of the soul -- shimmering with swaying rhythms and entrancing melodies. Saudade features dazzling new material including Bishop's duet with Brazilian singing sensation Luciana Souza on the sensual new song "Un Baile". Saudade boasts an impressive group of guest collaborators including such musicians as Eric Clapton, Oscar Castro-Neves, Kenny Rankin and Grammy award-winning guitarist Earl Klugh. Saudade is a romantic touch of Brazil that places all-time classics from this Great Artist such as "On & On", "Separate Lives", "One More Nigh"t and "Save It For a Rainy Day" in an Unexpected musical setting.