Dave Pietro: Embrace: Impressions of Brazil (2004)

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: April 3, 2004

Dave Pietro: Embrace: Impressions of Brazil

Dave Pietro follows his successful tribute to Stevie Wonder, Standard Wonder, with an hommage to the music of Brazil"" Embrace. This recording is a little-big-band recording of basically images of Brazil according to Mr. Pietro. The seeds of this recording were planted when Pietro was on tour in South America with the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra. During the tour, the band played in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Since that time, Pietro has been back numerous times.

The selections assembled for this recording make up a loose suite united by three sung interludes composed by vocalist/percussionist Valtinho Anastacio. It is a stunning effect how Anastacio duets so perfectly with Pietro's reeds. The leader brought together an impressive number of South American jazz experts""some from South America itself and some from other parts. Of interest in the latter category is reedist Tom Christensen, whose own Gualala was a well received Latin recording. Along with Brazilian locals Nilson Matta and Duduka Da Fonseca (from the Brazilian band Trio Da Paz), Pietro spreads a lush musical blanket beneath the shifting rhythms of the Latin sensibility.

Embrace is a very pleasant way to wile away a spring afternoon.

Visit A Records and Dave Pietro on the web.

Track Listing: Never Nothing; Equanimity; Interlude #1; The Scene Between Two Unseens; Canto Triste; Cururu; Interlude #2 Remembrance; Interlude #3; And So It Is; Hamartia; Embrace; Choro Bandido.

Personnel: Dave Pietro?Saxophones; Scott Wendoff?Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Tom Christensen?Flutes, Saxophones; Pete McGuinness?Trombone; Pete McCann?Guitar; Helio Alves?Biano; David Berkman?Piano; Sergio Brandao?Bass; David Fink?Acoustic Bass; Nilson Matta?Bass; Paulo Braga?Drums; Dueduka Da Fonseca?Drums; Valtinho Anastacio?Vocals, Percussion.

Record Label: a/l/l
Style: Latin/World