Sergio Pereira: Bossa+

New York-based Brazilian guitarist/composer and vocalist Sergio Pereira unveils an album of light Brazilian music on Bossa+, continuing his exploration of bossa nova, samba, choro and other Brazilian styles, melding them with an ambient classical jazz sound that is well beyond the familiar traditional music. Proud of his cultural heritage and the impact of music on his life, of the album Pereira states that "Bossa + is an album that reflects the music and sounds that come from my life experiences, influences, sounds and places." Accordingly, the album is more than a collection of beautiful music; it is a musical documentation reflecting various experiences throughout his life.

Recorded in Valencia, Spain, Pereira performs with a core Latin jazz quintet featuring Venezuelan trumpeter Chipi Chacon, Cuban pianist Luis Guerra, Cuban bassist Ariel Ramirez and fellow producer and friend, Brazilian drummer Mauricio Zottarelli. On the dreamy "One for Pat," a tribute to the great guitarist Pat Metheny, Pereira records with an entirely different quintet featuring renowned Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, pianist Iván Melón Lewis and bassist Ivan Ruiz Machado—both hailing from Cuba—with Uruguayan drummer José San Martín. All appear as special guests.

The light, warm and mellow title track opens with the soft-toned flugelhorn voice of Chacon and the leader on his Raimundo acoustic guitar accompanied by Guerra on piano, beginning the album with an impressive taste of the bossa sound. The smooth-like "Sea of Love" finds the guitarist plucking the strings lightly as he sings for the first time with Chacon on the muted horn delivering several short solos on an inviting love song that goes directly to the heart.

On their only appearance on the album, except for Lubambo, the special guests play splendid back up on "One for Pat,' featuring the drummer's brushwork with wordless vocals from Pereira, an upright bass solo from Machado and showcasing the handy guitar work of Lubambo on acoustic while Pereira plays his Sadowsky electric archtop as the two trade delicious licks on the strings. The driving bossa number "Montgo" allows the trumpeter to carry the tune and melody, displaying his chops on the instrument with some high-pitch notes as Pereira alternates between electric and acoustic guitars on one of the finest tracks of the set.

Lubambo and Pereira join forces one more time on the rhythmic and lovely original "Saudades," with the leader playing the melody as the special guest delivers a gorgeous solo on this "buoyant bossa," a defining piece of the album. The music moves in a different direction with the perky and bright "Desamor," which features Pereria on vocals and every member of the band on this upbeat and groovy number.

Pereria closes the session with the Warren/Gordon standard "There Will Never Be Another You" but does so with a decidedly Brazilian arrangement, putting the final touches on an excellent recording. Sergio Pereria's Bossa+ is an outstanding recording of music. Although it only seven tracks, there are plenty of upsides and no downsides here, making it enjoyable on many fronts.

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