Jorge Palma Essentials

Known as the Bob Dylan of Portugal for his elliptically poetic lyrics, folk-rocking piano man Jorge Palma began recording in 1975. His popularity surged in the '80s thanks to the bluesy last-call lament "Deixa-me Rir" ("Let Me Laugh") and "O Lado Errado Da Noite" ("The Other Side of Night"), a Springsteen-esque short story of missed connections rendered with jazzy tenor sax embellishments. A compelling confessionalism informs "Frágil", which also spotlights Palma's considerable piano prowess.