Who were the musicians in the Brazilian Jazz Quartet? According to Wikipedia, the group featured José Ferreira Godinho Filho “Casé" on alto saxophone, Moacyr Peixoto on piano, Luiz Chaves Oliveira da Paz “Luiz Chaves" on bass and Rubens Alberto Barsotti “Rubinho" on drums.
The reason I pose the question is the remarkable similarity in tone between saxophonist “Casé" and Art Pepper (and at times, Lee Konitz). So much so that only a careful ear can tell them apart. Pepper, of course, had more dexterity and fluidity on solos. But the dry tone, the lyrical exploration of the upper register and the approach on the instrument is uncannily Pepperian. And maybe it's me, but Moacyr Peixoto sounds a lot like Russ Freeman.
Clearly, these Brazilian artists were heavily influenced by Pepper's and Freeman's albums. Further proof of a direct connection between West Coast jazz's relaxed, melodic approach and what would soon become bossa nova in Brazil.
The album I'm showcasing as my ad-free Backgrounder this week is the Brazilian Jazz Quartet's Coffee and Jazz, released by Brazilian Columbia in 1958. See if you hear what I hear. Here's the album...
The reason I pose the question is the remarkable similarity in tone between saxophonist “Casé" and Art Pepper (and at times, Lee Konitz). So much so that only a careful ear can tell them apart. Pepper, of course, had more dexterity and fluidity on solos. But the dry tone, the lyrical exploration of the upper register and the approach on the instrument is uncannily Pepperian. And maybe it's me, but Moacyr Peixoto sounds a lot like Russ Freeman.
Clearly, these Brazilian artists were heavily influenced by Pepper's and Freeman's albums. Further proof of a direct connection between West Coast jazz's relaxed, melodic approach and what would soon become bossa nova in Brazil.
The album I'm showcasing as my ad-free Backgrounder this week is the Brazilian Jazz Quartet's Coffee and Jazz, released by Brazilian Columbia in 1958. See if you hear what I hear. Here's the album...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved.
