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Luciana Souza: Cometa
ByThe album was recorded in São Paulo with producer Larry Klein in the control room in Los Angeles. With just one rehearsal and two days of recording, they drew inspiration from Elis Regina and Zimbo Trio in the mid 1960s, who frequently collaborated on new material for the Brazilian TV show No Fino da Bossa (including such songs as "Vem Balançar," written by Souza's parents, Walter Santos and Tereza Souza). For Regina and Zimbo Trio, time constraints resulted in a freewheeling air, rehearsal deficits compensated for by the fact that the four worked together regularly, sharpening their ability to create exceptional arrangements in the moment. Trio Corrente projects a similar quasi-telepathic communication thanks to their long association. Souza's work with the Yellowjackets (Raising Our Voice, 2018) prepared her well for this encounter; she knew how to "come into a situation that's fully formed already and not disturb what works," as she put it.
The lead cut, Dorival Caymmi's "Você Já Foi à Bahia" (Have You Been to Bahia Yet?), a perfect three-minute track, sets the tone. Souza's adroit arrangement, which opens with a series of call-and-response hits culminating in a rhythmic release into a samba groove in the second section, fits right into the trio's vibe, sounding very much of a piece with bassist Paulo Paulelli's arrangement of "Requebre Que Eu Dou um Doce," another Caymmi composition on the program. The Caymmi tunes also highlight Souza's virtuosity with a tongue-teasing text. The head is followed by a concise round of playful solos, beginning with her scat. The mood matches the musicians' desire to project "lightness and celebration." (See YouTube teaser, below.)
While the program features pieces by great Brazilian songwritersCaymmi, Ary Barroso, Djavan, Paulinho DaViola, Antonio Carlos JobimSouza wanted the ensemble to "meet as composers, too," each bringing in originals and arrangements. Along with the Caymmi arrangement, her contributions include an excellent arrangement of Barroso's "Pra Machucar Meu Coração" co-created with Torres, a poignant lyric for Ribeiro's lovely "Cometa," and her own "Bem Que Te Avisei" (Well I Warned You), a terrific tune with a wily lyric and a thirty-two bar AABA form, which seems destined to become a Brazilian jazz standard.
One hopes that Cometa becomes the first of many collaborations by Luciana Souza and Trio Corrente, with many opportunitiesin Brazil, the US, and elsewhereto hear these extraordinary musicians together live.
Track Listing
Você Já Foi à Bahia; Pra Machucar Meu Coração; Ventos do Norte; Sem Você; Rumo dos Ventos; Baião Joy; Bem Que Te Avisei; Quando Você Vier; Requebre que Eu Dou um Doce; Cometa.
Personnel
Luciana Souza
vocalsEdu Ribeiro
drumsFabio Torres
pianoPaulo Paulelli
bassTrio Corrente
band / ensemble / orchestraAlbum information
Title: Cometa | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records
Comments
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Luciana Souza
Album Review
Katharine (Katchie) Cartwright
Sunnyside Records
Cometa
Trio Corrente
Edu Ribeiro
Fabio Torres
Larry Klein
Elis Regina
Zimbo Trio
yellowjackets
Dorival Caymmi
Paulo Paulelli
Ary Barroso
Djavan
Paulinho Da Viola
Antonio Carlos Jobim