In the spring of 2004, Caetano Veloso curated a week of special concerts at New York’s Carnegie Hall as one of its prestigious Perspectives artists. As part of the series, he invited his longtime friend and collaborator David Byrne to join him for an evening in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium heard on the new album Caetano Veloso and David Byrne: Live at Carnegie Hall, out now. The singer/guitarists each perform an acoustic set of their own songs, joined by cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and percussionist Mauro Refosco, and also perform together.

Both The Observer and the Guardian give the album four stars. The Observer's Neil Spencer calls it "an entrancing showcase of their respective talents ... and even on disc a sense of joy and spontaneity is palpable." And though it's been several years between the concert and the album's release, "It was worth the wait," says the Guardian's Robin Denselow.

The Herald Scotland says "this is classy contemporary songwriting performed as chamber music, but with a lightness of touch and sense of humour that leaves the listener grinning from ear to ear."

Back in the States, the New York Daily News music writer Jim Farber includes the album among the week's best, saying the artists' differing styles provide "a sweet and telling contrast." At the same time, the two iconic singer-songwriters have plenty in common. "I saw the original show and swooned," Farber writes. "But experiencing it again on an album emphasizes the subtle elements Veloso and Byrne have long shared." Read his review at nydailynews.com.

The Seattle Times music critic Paul de Barros says "the concert is an absolute jewel," and the album is "the next best thing to being there." Read the review at seattletimes.com.

Glide magazine gives the album four stars. "Veloso opens the evening at the Isaac Stern Auditorium with a string of beauties performed entirely in Portuguese, a gentle introduction from an activist once feared and ousted by his own homeland," writes reviewer Patrick Flanary. "And though officially a Veloso affair, it becomes Byrne’s show halfway through, with Talking Heads classics evolving into versions as they’ve never been played." Read the complete review at glidemagazine.com.

To pick up a copy of Caetano Veloso and David Byrne: Live at Carnegie Hall, head to the Nonesuch Store, where CD orders include high-quality, 320 kbps MP3s of the album at checkout. The album is also available to purchase there as MP3s and FLAC lossless files.