I first had the privilege of hearing the multi-faceted musical talents of American musician Arto Lindsay many years ago, whilst working for Music Week Magazine. As soon as I heard his album “Salt” (Righteous Babe, 2004), I became fascinated by his warm and sultry sound, which carried unmistakable Brazilian influences, a cool combination of that familiar jazz style/bossa nova guitar and a gentle vocal that effortlessly switched between Portuguese and English: a welcoming celebration of two cultures.
Following a string of International tour dates, Arto Lindsey recently made his return to London with a live performance at the Barbican Centre, on 7th October. He was sure to deliver what people have come to expect from this multi-talented musician: an eclectic cocktail of sounds, brash and calming in equal measure. It was a performance replete with the soothing melody of bossa nova, the sensual poetry of samba, the synthesised sounds of electric dance, and the eerie sounds produced by his futuristic-styled guitar, a real hallmark of the multi-cultured kaleidoscope of music from the 1980s.
With a varied set lasting over 90 minutes, the audience was taken on a magical music tour of discovery, with a playlist featuring classic songs from his back catalogue, including the sublime Illuminated and Jardim Da Alma, right though to tracks taken from his most recent studio album, “Cuidado Madame” (Northern Spy, 2017). His first album in over 13 years, this new material fuses abstract sounds with tropicália, culminating in some epic tracks, such as Each to Each and the mesmerising Grain by Grain.
Arto Lindsay—singer, live performer, composer, producer and experimental guitarist—certainly lives up to his reputation as a gifted creative musical force, and long may he shine.
Visit the website for future live dates — http://artolindsay.com/
