Much lively music,
even some good jazz

Here's some Latin jazz with lively singing
but not much improvisation

Carnival rhythms
18 Latin beats and bossa nova classic
Polygram
Rs 125

Jazz's first fusion age dawned in the '50s when Latin jazz began with Dizzy Gillespie's extensive work with Afro-Cuban musicians. The bossa nova of Brazilian musicians such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, fusing samba with jazz, followed. Gillespie was in on this too, as were others, the smoothly lyrical tenor saxophonist Stan Getz becoming the leading exponent.

Although jazz brought, especially, its emphasis on solos into the fusion, much Latin jazz has had little improvisation. It's not surprising then that this album is rather uneven when judged by the yardstick of improvisation. The vocal numbers have some joyful singing to partly make up, and Jobim offers some compensation in delicate piano work on his composition Amor em paz.

Getz and Gillespie are naturally represented here: Gillespie leaves the field to his baritone saxophonist for a solo on Tin tin deo, while Stan Getz contributes lovely solos that dominate E luxo so and So danco samba. Most of the numbers offer Latin percussion accompaniment, which graduates to solo improvisation on the flautist Herbie Mann's Evolution of Mann and Elation by the percussionist Willie Bobo.

There is much accomplished guitar work (but no solos) strewn about the album. But the last word must go to Joe Henderson's emotional tenor sax soloing on Boto and to Charlie Parker's typically be-bop alto sax soloing on Mango mangue.

Jazzebel

News | Reviews | Features | Punch in
Books | Yellow pages | Archives | Guru's choice | Editorial | Home
Copyright and disclaimer © 1999-2000, www.themusicmagazine.com, Inc.