Trio Da Paz: Cafe

Fingerstyle guitar, a light samba mood, and creative chamber jazz make a winning combination. Trio da Paz has created an intimate program, intended for lovers the world over. That each is a master at his craft is clearly evidenced by the unit's previous work. Café is the trio's fourth album. Here, three guests are featured with two appearances each. Joe Lovano provides examples of his finest work, interpreting "Wave" and Romero Lubambo's "48th Street Bai'o" with the trio. Cesar Camargo Mariano pumps up a fiery bebop jam on Clifford Brown's "Blues Walk" and simmers quietly for a quartet arrangement of "Gentle Rain." Each artist summons emotion through lyrical means. Dianne Reeves interprets "Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise" and "Love Is Here to Stay" with a unique manner that's unmistakably her own. While it's not her finest hour, the vocalist blends wordless phrases and interpreted lyrics with the trio's trademark samba jazz in relaxed fashion. It's a mood that Trio da Paz reflects throughout. "Café," the title track, and "Influencia do Jazz" steer the trio through subtle shades of volume and intensity, while their creative instincts take over. Recommended, the trio's latest adventure represents a genuine melding of samba and jazz.