Pianist and composer Judson Green creates sleek soundscapes with Daniel Jordan/ww, Ron Jenkins/b, Walt Hubbard/dr and Fitzroy Harris/perc on this Baker’s Dozen of originals. Jordan’s flute is a warm breeze with Green’s keys on “La Corriente De Agua” and slinky “Capri”. A calypso’d “South Beach” has Jordan’s tenor sax cruising over some unison lines by the leader and Hubbard, while an acoustic piano on “Bahia” is a gorgeously framed tune with breathy sax musings. Jenkins’ bass gives a hip backbeat to “Cool Strut” and the peppy “Super Agent Super Spy” and the team is in an upbeat mood throughout, all the way to the closer “Song For Chapin”. Optimistic moods.
Andrea Brachfeld plays both C and alto flute with a galloping team of Bill O’Connell/p-key, Harvie S-Lincoln Goines/b, Jason Tiemann-T. Portinho/dr, Roni Ben-Hur/g and Chembo Corniel/perc on this mix of Jobim and originals. O’Connell’s keyboards give a vintage CTI soul feel to the rich read of “Double Rainbow” and “Ligia” as Portinho’s brushes glide to the rich “Triste E Solitaria”. Brachfeld is dreamy on “Passarim” and blends with Ben_hur” on the sublime “Amparo” while the percussion sizzles on a peppy “Samba Medley” O’Connell and Harvie S create a sublime mood for Brachfelds alto tones of a cirrus cloud on “Never Le Me Go” and the team is bouncing with joy for “Espaco Abierto”. Smiles with sound.
Chieli Minucci writes and arranges all of the music here as well as playing guitar along with a rotating team that includes Gerald Veasley/b, Lao Tizer/p, Eric Marienthal/sax and Nelson Rangell/sax. Maysa Leak gives an empassioned vocal on Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”, while soundscapes akin to vintage Pat Metheny on the galloping “Great Escape” and thoughtful “One Stick and A Stone”. Sleek guitar works on the uptempo “Two Dancing” while his acoustic guitar is tender for “Sweet Memories of You”. Soulful moods with Tizer are felt on “Empathy” and a mix of pop and jazz sound like a sleek Steely Dan during “Flows Like Water”. Accessible actions.
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