CD Review: Antonio Adolfo's 'Rio, Choro, Jazz...'

Antonio Adolfo
Rio, Choro, Jazz...
AAM Music

The instrumental works of Brazilian pianist and composer, Ernesto Nazareth, are brilliantly showcased on nine of the ten tracks. One track is an original piece named after the album title and cleverly produced and arranged by Brazil's Antonio Adolfo. Antonio is a talented pianist, composer, arranger, and educator regarding everything related to Brazilian jazz and bossa nova. Antonio plays piano on this recording, but he is joined by Claudio Spiewak on guitars, Jorge Helder on double bass, Marcelo Martins on flute and soprano sax, and Rafael Barata/Marcos Suzano on drums/percussion. The compositions attributed to Ernesto were originally conceived in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The four to seven-minute tracks are full of Brazilian glory and exuberance with sweeping piano melodies, jingly percussion, and bossa nova/lounge jazz. The music is breezy and airy--much like a lazy afternoon on the beaches of Rio. At any rate, Antonio knows how to capture the essence of classic music in a contemporary setting. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Choros From Brazil

Os Ingenuos
Choros From Brazil
Nimbus Records

Hailing from Salvador, Bahia (Brazil), Os Ingenuos brings to life the legendary instrumental music of the choro. Os Ingenuos took their name from "Ingenuo", from the popularly-known composition of the same name from the famous choro maestro, Pixinguinha. The choro is a type of instrumental music identified in the 1920's. Usually played and enjoyed by the lower-to-middle classes, it became a recognizable style in Brazilian popular music. On the whole, the music incoporates Latin rhythms of samba, waltz, polka, and melodies from Portugal or Spain. The heart and soul of choro tends to be the seven-string guitar, which, on this album, is accompanied by sax, trombone, trumpet, cavaquinho, bandolim, and pandeiro. An informative booklet is included in English and French. 17 tracks and slightly over one hour of music makes Choros From Brazil a pleasant recording no matter where you are. ~ Matthew Forss