Jazz Guitar, With Love From Brazil

Air Date: 5/23/2021

Photos Left to Right: Chico Pinheiro (by Fernanda Faya), Ricardo Silveira (by Nando Chagas), Diego Figueredo
 
Back in 2003 WICN received the first of several CDs from Brazilian guitarist Ricardo Silveira. At the time my conception of Brazilian jazz was centered around famous popular songs like Wave and Girl from Ipanema. Listening to Mr. Silveira, among others, opened my ears to the richness of Brazilian jazz. This was one factor that led me to create an hour devoted to this special music, which continues today.



Mr. Silveira has recently released Solo, his nineteenth overall and first solo recording. For me, this release tops off what I consider a torrent of recent exceptional releases by Brazilian guitarists. 
 
Let's start with last year's CD by Chico Pinheiro, City of Dreams. The album, nominated for a 2021 Grammy award, does not necessarily 'sound like' Brazilian jazz. My sense is that if you take a person familiar with popular bossa nova songs and play this CD for them, without saying anything about the artist, they would probably not identify this music as 'Brazilian' jazz. It's just jazz!
 


And it is very good jazz. Besides his technical fluency, Mr. Pinheiro is a creative writer and arranger. I particularly enjoy his work on the CD with keyboardist Tiago Costa. My feeling is that guitar and keyboard can be somewhat complicated to integrate, but not if the respective players are really in tune with each other. On this CD Mr. Pinheiro and Mr. Costa sound as if they are of a single mind.
 
Now let's talk about Diego Figueredo. His new release Antartica rather quickly moved up to number ten on the JazzWeek chart.  So right there we can tell that his music has broad appeal. Of course, he is wildly popular in Brazil. I can personally attest to this, as the last time I mentioned Mr. Figueredo on my Facebook page, I received many likes and comments from his fans. They are devoted! As well they should be, given Mr. Figueredo's technical brilliance and emotional style. As I mentioned in an earlier post, reflecting on the three CDs we have in the WICN library, each release seems to get even better than the previous.
 



Back to Mr. Silveira. The new CD Solo is a departure, not only because he plays with no accompaniment, but also because the style here is meditative, diaphanous, gentle. Actually, it is perfect for the first hour of SJB, Contemplative Morning, and I have been playing tracks from the CD mostly during this hour. 

The Brazilian Jazz Guitar Set

So listen in at the start of Brazil/World Jazz Hour this Sunday at 10am ET. You'll hear a track from each of these artists' latest release.
 
But there is more! When I heard Mr. Silveira's version of Preciso Aprender A Ser Só, I knew I had heard the beautiful melody before. Then I remembered hearing it from Jane Monheit, in the English version If You Went Away. I find this melody to be captivating, in both versions. 
 
Just a humorous note - if I ask the online translators what the title means, it is something like "I must learn to be alone." 
 
I think I like Jane Monheit's translation better! 
 
Have a great start to your Sunday morning, and thanks for tuning in to the Sunday Jazz Brunch.
 
Marty

HOUR ONE: Contemplative Morning

Jocelyn Gould-Elegant Traveler-08 In A Daydream-2020
Sam Hirsh-Quite Frankly - Inroducing Sam Hirsh-05 Reminiscing-2020
Jeremy Pelt-The Art Of Intimacy, Vol. 1-07 While You Are Gone-2020
Vivian Sessoms-Life II-12 Remembrance - (Featuring Mary Lynn & Eds Chimes) (For Sybil) 2019
Eric Reed-For Such a Time as This-06 Waltz-2020
Emmet Cohen-Future Stride-10 Little Angel-2021
Tuck & Patti-Chocolate Moment-02 Love Flows Like A River 2002
Weber Iago-Os Filhos do Vento-11 Os Filhos do Vento (Children of the Wind), for ensemble- Part I. Haven. Interlude and Bossa 2004
Rebecca Kilgore\Trio Volume  2021\That Sunday That Summer
Natalie Cole-09 That Sunday That Summer (1991)
Ricardo Silveira - Solo - 01 - Rio Texas 2021
Alan Broadbent\Quiet Is The Star Feat Georgia Mancio 2021\Tell The River

HOUR TWO: New for You

Quincy Davis-Q Vision-09 Secrets-2020
Jocelyn Gould-Elegant Traveler-02 Kindling-2020
Veronica Swift-This Bitter Earth-Everybody Has the Right To Be Wrong-2021
Tony Monaco\Strollin 2021\Mundell's Mood
Lauren White\Ever Since The World Ended 2021\Alone Together
The New Faces-New Sounds-08 Luna Lovejoy-2021
Sam Hirsh-Quite Frankly - Inroducing Sam Hirsh-08 Ways Of The Wise-2020
Vinnie Riccitelli Octet\For the Record 2020\Dolphin Dance
Franceso Amenta\Midtown Walk 2021\Dancing
Gregory Porter-All Rise-10 Everything you Touch-2020
Erin Bode-The Little Garden-02 Chasing After You 2008
Emily Bear-Diversity-09 Italia 2013

HOUR THREE: Brazil/World

Chico Pinheiro\City Of Dreams 2020\Up In the Air
Diego Figueiredo-Antarctica-09 My Friend Menescal-2021
Ricardo Silveira - Solo - 02 - Preciso Aprender A Ser Só 2021
Jane Monheit-Surrender-01 If You Went Away 2007
Grover Washington, Jr.-All My Tomorrows-01 E Preciso Perdoar (One Must Forgive) 1994.wav
Guillermo Nojechowicz-EL ECO TWO WORLDS-04 Samba de Maya-2002
New York Voices-Collection-09 Open Invitation 1994
Nate Najar Trio-Aquarela do Brasil-02 carinhoso 2014
Phyllis Chapell\Naked World\Entrudo 2015
Vinnie Riccitelli Octet\For the Record 2020\Flying Down to Rio
Brazilian Trio-Forests-09 Flying Over Rio 2008

HOUR FOUR: Groove, Baby

Euge Groove\Sing My Song 2020\The Journey Ahead
Justin Lee Schultz\Gruv Kid 2020\Just In
Reza Khan\Imaginary Road 2021\Imaginary Road
Kenny Polson\Colors of Brazil - 2021\Mariana
Andrew Neu\Try Something Neu 2009\South by Southwest
William Woods-The Hear and Now-03 Pensacolada 2006
Nelson Riveros\The Latin Side of Wes Montgomery 2021
Chris Standring\love-paragraphs\Sunshine
Brian Simpson-Persuasion-03-One and Only
Andrew Neu-Everything Happens for a Reason-05 What Would I Do 2013
Basia-Butterflies-08 show time 2018
Chieli Minucci-Night Grooves-05 You're My Reason 2003


 

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