Gilberto Gil played Town Hall (pics, setlist)

Gilberto Gil @ Town Hall 4/23/2015

What makes Mr. Gil so good at his best -- and Thursday night he stayed right near his best, without overindulging in vocal improvising or one-man-jamming, as he can sometimes do -- is his light-voiced, articulate, rhythmic energy: the vigor he put in songs like "O Pato," "Doralice" and " É Luxo Só," his total delight in the syncopated rhythmic details, and the fresh simplicity that seeps down into the band. [NY Times]

Politically-charged Brazilian artist Gilberto Gil is touring in support of a last year's Gilbertos Samba, a tribute to the music of Joao Gilberto. On Thursday (4/24) he and his band -- which included his son Bem Gil on both guitar and flute (and even a plate) -- played to a packed crowd at Town Hall. Most of his two-hour set was from that record (and the subsequent/related Gibertos Samba ao Vivo live LP), with a few of Gilberto's own classics as well. Pictures from his performance (and one of his setlist) are in this post and continue below....