1. Kenia (real … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists with the name Kenia.
1. Kenia (real name: Kenia Gonzalez Ortega) is a Costa Rican reggaeton singer and model born on Janury 26, 1991.
2. Brazilian vocalist Kenia conquers the Dorival Caymmi songbook
Ever hungry for new challenges, the sultry-voiced Brazilian enchantress Kenia, who reemerged on the jazz scene two years ago with the critically-acclaimed album Simply Kenia, serves up one of the most demanding and satisfying projects of her three decade long career with Kenia Celebrates Dorival Caymmi on Mooka Records.
Renowned for her ability to translate the complex rhythms of her homeland into jazzy creations that made her a star of the smooth jazz movement two decades ago, the singer digs even deeper into Brazil’s cultural legacy on this compelling and artistically rich 15-track session. She tackles the supremely melodic and culturally telling legacy of the Brazilian composer and singer who spent over seven decades creating an aural portrait of Bahia, the stronghold of Brazil’s vibrant African culture. The author of such fabled standards as “Samba da Minha Terra,” “Doralice” and “Voce Ja Foi a Bahia,” Caymmi has long been recognized as a singular figure in Brazilian popular culture, truly an artist without peers in a country noted for a profusion of legendary musicians.
“Dorival’s music lies just between the two major movements in MPB (Música Popular Brasileira, or Brazilian Popular Music),” Kenia explains, “the Samba of the 1920’s and 30’s and the Bossa Nova of the late 1950’s and 60’s. Caymmi’s music served as a kind of a smooth transition between these two styles. And, although he had two very distinct lines of composition, the link between these two movements is characterized by his firm foundation and understanding of Rio’s Samba, sprinkled with some Bahian spices.”
To insure an impeccably authentic interpretation of this collection of Caymmi classics, Kenia employed a rhythm section of first-call Brazilian musicians. Fernando Merlino, who crafted the arrangements and plays piano, is joined by bassist Leo Traversa and percussionist Airto Moreira, perhaps the most recorded Brazilian instrumentalist of his generation. The band also features guitarists Eric Susoeff and Marty Ashby, trombonist Jay Ashby, who arranged the song “Requebre” and joins Airto in the percussion section, and the singer’s son Lucas, who contributes his growing skills as a percussionist. The involvement of sound engineer Jay Dudt, a three time Grammy-winner, assured the sonic brilliance of Kenia Celebrates Dorival Caymmi.
Although several of Caymmi’s songs, including Samba da Minha Terra,” were immortalized by singer João Gilberto, many of them are not overly familiar to contemporary audiences. “Digging into Caymmi’s work has been an absolute joy,” Kenia confides. “His songbook takes me back in time. For instance, I discovered that ‘Roda Piao,’ a tune that Carmen Miranda made famous, was written by Caymmi. I was delighted to learn that the song had a beautiful introduction and interlude. Growing up, we only knew and sang the bridge. As challenging as it is to revisit some of these childhood memories, it was also very liberating.”
The singer was born Kenia Acioly into a family of Italian origins in the city of Nova Iguaçu, a working class suburb of Rio de Janeiro. When she was six, Kenia’s family moved to Copacabana, Rio’s chic beach-fronting neighborhood. As with most Cariocas, as natives of Rio are known, growing up in the 1960s during the bossa nova era meant that she played guitar by ear for many years before realizing that singing was her true calling. It helped that at that time Brazilian television was loaded with programs that featured such trend-setting vocalists as Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Nara Leão and Caymmi’s daughter Nana. “By the late 70's and early 80's,” she recalls, “I was madly in love with the music of Djavan and Ivan Lins. At the same time, through my friend, the late Durval Ferreira, a great composer, I was introduced to the beautiful voices of Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRea.”
Arriving in the U.S. in 1980, Kenia quickly established herself as the new Brazilian singer on the scene and recorded her debut in the States with trumpeter Claudio Roditi on his album Red on Red. Several years later, she launched her solo recording career, producing four popular and critically-acclaimed albums for the MCA and Denon labels between 1987 and 1991. She also established herself as one of the most popular and successful U.S. based Brazilian musicians since the heyday of Sergio Mendes and Brazil ‘66. In 1997, Kenia launched her own label, Mooka Records, with a particularly ambitious effort; Project Ivan Lins, a tribute to the one of Brazil’s most prolific and popular contemporary songwriters, featuring Lins himself as a special guest.
Kenia Celebrates Dorival Caymmi represents a continuation of the effort she began on Simply Kenia to rediscover and explore in her own distinctive way hidden gems of 20th Century popular Brazilian music. “Dorival’s compositions address two distinct themes,” she comments. “There are the songs about the sea, where he so eloquently and romantically sang of the hardships, passion and faith of the fishermen of his beloved Bahia. These are known to Brazilians as canções praianas (Beach Songs). These compositions are very sophisticated in harmony and melody, with somewhat of an ECM-style jazz sound and a very folkloric feel.”
The second thematic track is equally satisfying. “He also had a particular way of writing about love, passion, sex and women that is very special,” the singer continues. “These songs have a certain swing, groove and movement. His subtlety and care with words is so natural. Dorival has a way composing that even describing a woman’s simple stroll to the supermarket becomes an amazingly charming experience both for the stroller and observers.”
Kenia Celebrates Dorival Caymmi provides a unique and exhilarating way for international audiences to fall under the trance of the late composer’s incomparable artistry while enjoying the heartfelt vocals of the supremely talented Kenia and the joyous instrumental interpretations of her all-star band.
“Interpreting Dorival’s songs is a wonderful consequence of my quest to reconnect with the music of my country,” Kenia acknowledges. “It has also allowed me to discover some modalities that I either forgot or was never exposed to. His music is so rich, his repertoire so vast and intriguing that I‘m already thinking about what’s to follow: A sequel to Kenia Celebrates Dorival Caymmi.”
Cruisin'
Kenia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be confused baby, the way is clear
And if you want it you got it forever
Just for a one night stand in bed
Let the music take your mind
And, just release and you would find
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Baby tonight belongs to us
Everything's right, do what you must
And inch by inch we get closer and closer oh
Every little part is in touch
Oh baby, baby oh
Let the music take your mind
Just release and you would find, baby
I love it I love it
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Oh oh, cruise for me babe
Oh baby let's cruise
Let's flow, let's glide
Oh let's open up, and go inside
And if you want it you got it forever
I can just stay there inside you
And love you baby, oh
Let the music take your mind
Just release and you would find, baby
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
Oh, we gonna fly
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
I love it when we're cruising together
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
I love it when we're cruising together
The main theme of Kenia's song "Cruisin'" is about getting away from the stresses of everyday life and enjoying the moment with the person you love. The first stanza talks about leaving everything behind and embarking on a journey with the person you love. The lyrics emphasize that the path is clear and that the person you love is all you need. The chorus repeats the line "I love it when we're cruising together," conveying a sense of joy and freedom.
The second stanza is more intimate, with the lyrics "Baby tonight belongs to us, Everything's right, do what you must." It speaks of letting go and taking things one step at a time until there is no distance between the lovers. The lyrics also suggest that being close to someone is as much about physical touch as it is about being mentally connected.
The final stanza pushes the boundaries even further, with the lyrics "Oh let's open up, and go inside." The tone becomes more sensual as the lyrics talk about the physical act of love. However, it's important to note that the lyrics do not objectify women or make any derogatory statements. Instead, the song is all about two people connecting with each other and losing themselves in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby let's cruise, away from here
Let's take a romantic ride somewhere else to escape the current situation.
Don't be confused baby, the way is clear
Don't be hesitant, everything is straightforward and simple.
And if you want it you got it forever
If you desire a lasting romance, you have it.
Just for a one night stand in bed
A casual sexual encounter is not what I'm offering, I want something deeper.
Let the music take your mind
Allow yourself to be entranced by the music and forget your worries.
And, just release and you would find
Let go of your inhibitions and you'll discover a new side to yourself.
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
We'll travel together, following my lead.
I love it when we're cruising together
I adore spending time with you while on this romantic ride.
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
Both music and cruising are meant to be enjoyed with a special someone.
Baby tonight belongs to us
This evening is ours to share and enjoy.
Everything's right, do what you must
Everything is perfect, so do whatever you desire to make the moment even better.
And inch by inch we get closer and closer oh
We're drawing nearer to each other as the night progresses.
Every little part is in touch
Every part of our bodies is touching as we become more intimate.
Oh baby, baby oh
Expressing sexual arousal and passion towards one another.
Oh oh, cruise for me babe
Take this romantic ride with me, my love.
Let's flow, let's glide
Let's move together gracefully and effortlessly.
Oh let's open up, and go inside
Let's open up emotionally and physically, becoming fully vulnerable and intimate with one another.
I can just stay there inside you
Expressing a desire to remain intimately connected.
And love you baby, oh
Expressing intense affection and passion for one another.
Oh, we gonna fly
Expressing excitement to embark on this romantic journey together.
We gonna fly away, plan to go my way
We'll travel together, following my lead.
I love it when we're cruising together
I adore spending time with you while on this romantic ride.
Music was made for love, cruising is made for love
Both music and cruising are meant to be enjoyed with a special someone.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marvin Tarplin, Smokey Robinson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind