Antonio Adolfo: Carnaval - The Songs Were So Beautiful

Veteran pianist, composer, and arranger Antonio Adolfo has long been a master at capturing the essence of Brazilian music through a jazz perspective. On Carnaval (The Songs Were So Beautiful), Adolfo draws on a wide range of traditional Brazilian carnival styles— sambas, marchinas, marchas-rancho, and frevos—to create a vibrant and richly textured album that bursts with celebration while leaving space for nuance and reflection. This is not a jazz adaptation of Brazilian music; it's Brazilian music elevated with jazz sophistication and harmonic depth, performed by a stellar group of musicians, including guitarist Lula Galvão, bassist Jorge Helder, drummer Rafael Barata, trumpeter Jesse Sadoc, alto saxophonist Idriss Boudria, tenor saxophonist Marcelo Martins, trombonist Rafael Rocha, and percussionist Andre Siqueira.

In this nine-track release, the song titles are presented in English translations from the Brazilian Portuguese for ease of reference, beginning with the opening track "I'm Going With This One." It opens with Adolfo's grounded piano, which sets the tone with rhythmic momentum. Sadoc and Boudria offer bright syncopated phrases that complement the distinctive rhythm of the number. "Vassourinhas Carnaval Group" is a frevo, a vibrant Brazilian dance usually performed at Carnaval, which Adolfo recasts with intricate horn voices and a swing feel. Galvão and Martins weave sinuous patterns that seem to dance in the air, complementing the number's exuberance.

There is a bittersweet beauty to "She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not," a composition that sways like a slow marcha-rancho, reflective and delicate. The horn arrangement is sublime—melancholy without being maudlin. Adolfo's touch is restrained and emotional, embracing the sadness lurking behind the pageantry. "It's Going To Be OK" reintroduces upbeat optimism. It grooves with a samba flavour, but Adolfo adds subtle harmonic twists that make it distinctly his own. The brass section, especially Rocha's trombone, adds warmth and humour. "Ode To Mangueira" honours one of Rio's iconic samba schools. The arrangement is lush and stately, echoing the grandeur of a samba-enredo. It has a ceremonial gravitas but also intimacy—Adolfo never sacrifices feeling for form.

Finally, "Now It Is Ashes" closes the album on a reflective note. The names for the phrase Brazilians use on Ash Wednesday ( Agora É Cinza) gently acknowledge the ephemeral nature of joy. The melody is wistful, even mournful, but resolute. Carnaval may be over, but the music lingers—deeply felt and masterfully played.