Caetano Veloso & David Byrne: Live at Carnegie Hall – review

David Byrne's world music label Luaka Bop introduced the likes of Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil to a new western audience in 1989. Fifteen years later, Veloso invited "my favourite American artist" to appear with him in New York, and now – after a mysterious delay – that 2004 concert is finally released. It was worth the wait. This is an intriguing acoustic set backed by their own guitars, with occasional help from the celebrated Brazilian cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and percussionist Mauro Refosco. Caetano's contributions include a soulful treatment of Terra, while Byrne offers an unplugged treatment of his old band's favourites. The most intriguing tracks are the five collaborations, with Caetano taking a brave stab, in English, at Talking Heads' (Nothing but) Flowers, Byrne singing in Portuguese on a song by Caetano and his son, and the two of them swapping languages on the jointly composed Dreamworld. It's about time they did this again.