written by David Foster, David Paich & Cheryl Lynn

Ithamara Koorax is a very popular Brazilian jazz/pop singer. On the course of her noteworthy career she has recorded several critically acclaimed albums and collaborated with illustrious names like Claus Ogerman, Eumir Deodato, Marcos Valle, Azymuth, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Dave Brubeck.

In 2012, Koorax released her new album entitled “Got To Be Real.” It’s a great collection that includes a very eclectic mix of jazz standards, disco anthems, pop evergreens and Brazilian songs but the very eclectic material is perfectly blended by the inventive arrangements by Arnaldo De Souteiro who also produced the album. The title-track is obviously a cover of Cheryl Lynn’s 1978, monster hit “Got To Be Real.” The classic disco hit co-written by Lynn with David Foster and David Paich is presented in a fascinating slowed down version. Koorax stated in an interview that De Souteiro “did especially a terrific job on the title-track because he transferred the bass line (from the original Cheryl Lynn recording) to the keyboards and transferred the horn riffs to the bass.”
The arrangement of this song is for sure extremely inventive but the true highlight is Koorax’s amazing vocal performance. Check out especially how she holds an incredibly high note at the end of the first refrain. A true stunner. Another key element is the fantastic work on keyboards by the late Josè Roberto Bertrami, a member of seminal fusion trio, Azymuth who sadly passed away a little after the recording of “Got To Be Real.” This album is a true listening pleasure with absolute highlights like the bossa influenced “Up, Up And Away” and a spectacular “My Favourite Things” with a clever samba arrangement and it confirms Koorax as one of the most important jazz/pop singers today.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/got_to_be_real.mp3|titles=Got To Be Real|artists=Ithamara Koorax]

Lead Vocal: Ithamara Koorax
Keyboards: Josè Roberto Bertrami
Bass: Jorge Pescara
Drums: Haroldo Jobim
Percussion: Arnaldo De Souteiro

Produced & Arranged by Arnaldo De Souteiro

Lyrics

What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-a
To be real

What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-a
To be real

Ooh, your love’s for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay

What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-a
To be real

Ooh, your love’s for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay

What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you, baby)
What you know-a
To be real

What you find, ah
(I think I love you, baby)
What you feel now
(I feel I need you)
What you know-a
To be real…