Gilberto Gil is one of the legends of Brazilian music. In this intimate, beautifully photographed documentary he returns to Ituaçu, his childhood home, "the place one can never forget," and to the rivers of Salvador, where he wrote the first song that gained him attention. Talking with his family and friends, musicians and writers Jorge Amado, Caetano Veloso, Paulinho Camafeu, Carlinhus Brown, and others, Gil explores the deep connections between his music, the rich musical tradition of Bahía, and Africa-"Africa is behind everything." Gil, a mulatto, reveals the ideological importance he placed on integrating questions of race in his art, and the central influence of the Candomblé tradition. Gil is revealed as part musicologist, part philosopher, and always a consummate musician. Within a conversation, he fluidly moves from reminiscing to singing, his music intricately linked with his autobiography. The many performances range from improvisations and intimate renderings to concerts in village squares and gigantic auditoriums. Wherever he goes, people know his songs, and jubilantly sing along. He is their king.-Kathy Geritz