Charlie Byrd: Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros

Few Americans approached bossa nova with the commitment and understanding of Charlie Byrd. His classically influenced, unamplified style was perfectly suited to the Brazilian music that quickly became his forte after the success of Jazz Samba, after which he never looked back. Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros is his finest hour, a record’s worth of bossa nova standards and originals that effectively sum up the essential tunes and everything captivating about Brazil’s finest musical export. The folksy, lilting charm and warm groove of bossa are perfectly captured through Byrd’s deft plucking; an inspired head to “Bim Bom” and a catchy intro to “The Bird” prove that he can enhance the music with novel ideas that suit the idiom. His busy classical chops and bluesy jazz licks sure don’t sound like they would fit together, but Byrd stitches them into a convincing whole, one of the few successful Third Stream efforts ever made.

Unfortunately, Byrd falls into the trap that many who recorded bossa nova couldn’t escape: several tracks are washed over by an orchestra that provides unnecessary coloring. This doesn’t detract from the music per se (although a few of the extra tracks bear a passing resemblance to Herb Alpert’s Tijauna Brass), but the performances don’t need them and could stand on their own quite well. Still, the melodies shine through like sculpted sunshine and Byrd’s renditions of these tunes are flawless, and in some cases, definitive. The best bossa nova album is still Getz/Gilberto, but Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros isn’t far behind.