Olho de Vidro, the Debut from Bahia Artist Jadsa

Jadsa – Olho de Vidro  (Balaclava Records, 2021)

Olho de Vidro (Glass eye) is the title of the full-length debut album from singer-songwriter and guitarist Jadsa, an artist from Bahia in Brazil.

Jadsa had been working on this album since 2015 and finalized it between 2018 and 2019, when she was living in São Paulo. Jadsa was deeply inspired by one of the groundbreaking artists of the Vanguarda Paulista  movement of the 1980s, Itamar Assumpção, who combined Brazilian music with funk, reggae, and rock music, together with corrosive and satiric lyrics of social content.

“After I listened to Itamar, it turned a little key in my head and opened up possibilities,” says Jadsa about the album’s influences. “His music, image and energy, for me, form a presence that is almost an entity. It was through his music that I began to meet people in São Paulo.”

“I think of Olho de Vidro as a resistance. When people talk about Bahian music, usually the first thing that comes to mind is axé and pagode. But we also have rock music in Bahia. I want to show this alternative and subversive side to Bahia. Not in opposition to any rhythm, but a coalition of rock with axé and showing that Bahia has it all,” adds Jadsa.

Olho de Vidro was produced by João Meirelles. A large numbers of guests appear on the album, including  Ana Frango Elétrico and Kiko Dinucci (both on Raio de Sol), Luiza Lian, singers and songwriters Josyara and Raíssa Lopes (Obinrin Trio), keyboardist Aline Falcão, cellist Filipe Massumi and drummer Sérgio Machado.

Jadsa’s own band includes arranger Caio Terra on bass, Bianca Predieri on drums, Marcelle and Marina Melo on vocals, and Filipe Castro on percussion. Caio Terra has been performing with Jadsa since 2014 and is behind the arrangements on the album.

Jadsa has been working with various bands in Bahia since she was 13-years old. She released the EP Godê in 2015. In 2020, she released the EP Taxidermia vol.1, with João Meirelles (BaianaSystem).

Buy Olho de Vidro

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.