Misael Silvestre

Livio Almeida: Brasília Sessions

by Richard J Salvucci
February 13, 2025

This is a good recording by a very good instrumentalist. Livio Almeida is a Brazilian saxophonist living in New York, but whether or not Almeida sounds particularly “Brazilian" is for others to say. Frankly, his tenor playing is straight ahead and while there are Latin rhythms galore, Almeida's “Brasilia Afro Samba" really recalls the guitar riff from Deep Purple's “Smoke On The Water" more than anything else. But never mind. His phrasing is muscular and aggressive, and he does not ...