Reviewed: 2019-05-15
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: For the 2018-2019 season, the SFJAZZ Collective premieres innovative new arrangements of the work of pioneering Brazilian composer Antônio Carlos Jobim and freshly minted compositions by the band. An all-star ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today, the Collective’s mission each year is to perform fresh arrangements of works by a modern master and newly commissioned pieces by each member of the band. A pioneering figure and primary creator of the bossa nova style, Jobim merged Brazilian popular song with jazz to form a new and wildly popular hybrid that captivated listeners from its inception in the 1960s to today.
If You Like:
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
(DISC 1)
1/ Waters Of March (5:26) – horns start> uptempo jam> drops to midtempo> shifts to uptempo with Latino percussion & vocals> crescendo end
*2/ One Note Samba (4:24) – trumpets start> fast tempo jam> trombone solo> crescendo> fast jam> quick fade
**3/ Retrato Em Branco E Preto (3:34) – sax/flute starts> midtempo snaky jam> sax solo> midtempo jam> fade
*4/ The Girl from Impanema (4:19) – vibes start> midtempo jam> sax solo soars> uptempo jam> crescendo end
**5/ Garoto (5:09) – vibes/piano starts> midtempo hesitant jam> trumpet solo> midtempo jam> crescendo> midtempo jam rolls in waves> quick fade
6/ Inutil Paisagem (5:49) – flute/horns start> slow jam> trombone solo> slow jam> slow fade
*7/ Corcovado (7:31) – flute/percussion starts> mellow midtempo jam> fade
***8/ Chega de Saudade (7:04) – piano/vibes start> fast tempo jam> trumpet solo> vibes solo> sax solo> uptempo jam> vibes solo slows to fade
**9/ A Felicidade (6:51) – horns start> uptempo jam> electric piano solo> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> percussion jam with vocals> fade
*10/ How Insensitive (7:28) – piano starts hesitating> slow jam> vibes solo> slow jam> trumpet solo> sax solo> slow jam> slow fade
11/ Amparo (Olha Maria)(4:42) – slow piano starts solo starts> midtempo jam> piano solo to stop
*12/ Ligia (6:14) – vibes/piano start> uptempo jam> electric piano solo> uptempo jam> vibes solo> uptempo jam with repetitive riff & drum fills> quick stop
(DISC 2)
13/ Insight (9:38) – piano starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> upptempo jam> pause> piano solo> uptempo jam> crescendo> pause> piano solo to fade
14/ MZ’s World (6:22) – piano starts> slow jam with flute on top> flute solo> sax solo builds into uptempo jam> crescendo end
**15/ Variations (8:18) – drums/horns start> uptempo jam> sax solo> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> percussion jam> uptempo jam> quick stop
*16/ Infinito (7:20) – piano starts> slow jam builds to midtempo, then swings uptempo> crescendo & slows to fade
**17/ Another Side (9:23) – drums/vibes start> uptempo jam with drums jamming underneath> vibes solo> Rhodes solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
18/ Unseen Worlds (4:13) – vibes start slow> slow jam> pause> quick jump to uptempo jam. Pause> midtempo jam> slow fade
***19/ It Takes A Village (8:31) – percussion starts> uptempo jam> saxes jam with flute> rocking uptempo jam> raucous trombone solo> vibes solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
*20/ Sketch (6:04) – vibes start> midtempo jam builds to uptempo> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> sax solo> uptempo jam> vibes solo> uptempo jam crescendo end