1. Killer Joe
2. Whisper Not
3. Cascavel (Rattle Snake)
4. Yolanda, Yolanda
5. Stolen Moments
6. Song For My Father
7. Partido Leve (Light Partido Alto Samba)
8. All The Things You Are
9.
Luar Da Bahia (Moon Over Bahia)
Antonio Adolfo - Piano, arrangements
Marcelo Martins - Tenor sax, soprano sax (tracks 4, 9)
Jessé Sadoc - Trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 4, 7-9)
Serginho Trombone - Trombone
Leo Amuedo - Electric Guitar
Jorge Helder - Double bass
Rafael Barata - Drums, percussion
André Siqueira - Percussion
Special Guest:
Claudio Spiewak - Acoustic Guitar (tracks 1, 3, 8)
Rio-born pianist, composer, arranger and educator Antonio Adolfo, now almost 70, harks back in this album to his youth and to the jazz albums from the USA
which helped shape a whole generation of jazz and bossa musicians in Brazil. The horn section, in jazz basically any wind instrument, was a significant
presence in the recordings that Adolfo and his teenage contemporaries devoured. Those years are revisited in that he includes compositions by Benny Golson,
Oliver Nelson and Horace Silver on the disc, in addition to four pieces of his own and a familiar standard. His band consists of Brazilian musicians with
the exception of electric guitarist Leo Ameudo who is from Uruguay. Sure enough, there's a horn section of trumpet/flugelhorn, saxophone and trombone.
Incidentally, there isn't an error in the personnel of the group given above. The trombonist really does carry the surname Trombone!
There are some splendid tracks, making for pleasurable listening, on this album. Benny Golson's memorable Whisper Not surges along to glorious
effect. The band as a unit play with flair and discernment. I liked Marcelo Martins' strong tenor performance and this number also provides a chance to
hear Adolfo's fluent improvisation. Another classic from the jazz repetoire, Horace Silver's Song For My Father features Jessé Sadoc's fiery
trumpet. Trombone keeps him irresistible company and drums and percussion provide momentum. All The Things You Are receives an unclichéd piano
treatment from Adolfo while Sadoc maintains his previous form and there is an adventurous guitar spot from Claudio Spiewak. On Luar Da Bahia (Moon Over Bahia), an Adolfo orginal, I was taken by the electric guitar of Leo Amuedo who is truly a class act (the man sounds like
George Benson on a previous track, Stolen Moments). There's sublime soprano sax from Martins, expansive piano from Adolfo, not to mention the
penetrating tones of Jorge Helder on the double bass. Much of the rest of the disc is only slightly below the standard set by those tracks I've briefly
discussed. Perhaps only Partido Leve was less successful but that is a minor quibble and even there a lucid flugelhorn solo can be found.
In summary, this is music full of life and energy, enhanced by an excellent choice of material and musicians. In other words, one to enjoy.
James Poore
CD Reviews
