Breezy bopping bossas and swinging sambas are delivered by pianist Roger Tilton and his veteran team of drummer Yayo Morales with legendary bassist Henry Franklin.
As with the word “jazz”, the term “bossa” is more of an attitude than anything else, and Tilton melds that lithe pulse with aplomb, sashaying suavely with Brazilian classics such as “Dindi” and “Brigas Nunca Mais” but also delivering creamy reads of jazz tunes like the serenely shaded “Blue Bossa” with Morales simmering like fried rice. Tilton has the vintage touch of the likes of Wynton Kelly or Bill Evans, and gives rich harmonies to the bossa-ish pieces such as Horace Silver’s “Tokyo Blues” with Franklin and Morales delivering an irresistible gait. Franklin and Morales dig glorious rivulets throughout, as on a creative and dainty read of Chick Corea’s “500 Miles” and get back to their bebop roots on a joyful read with Tilton on a straight-ahead take of Thelonious Monk’s “Hackensack” and caroming around on a cruising take of “What Is This Thing Called Love”. Light as a feather.