Ryan Keberle's Collectiv do Brasil: Sonhos Da Esquina

Ryan Keberle's broad musical interests have led him to create some distinctly different ensembles. This top-tier trombonist and composer has grown and developed his own double quartet, laid out a wide-ranging vision across a handful of albums with the compact Catharsis, explored the flow of influences between jazz and classical music in Reverso and honored and extended the sound of large ensembles through the Big Band Living Legacy Project and All Ears Orchestra. Now, branching out in yet another direction, Keberle showcases a passion for the sophisticated sounds of Brazil.

During a 2017 visit to São Paulo, Keberle connected with a trio of close-knit collaborators—pianist Felipe Silveira, bassist Thiago Alves and drummer Paulinho Vicente. Making music together, and bonding over a love of Brazilian icons like Toninho Horta and Milton Nascimento, the four quickly became a tight unit. The following summer, with the intention of formalizing this new partnership by documenting its roots (and some music that grew from them), Keberle returned and recorded this album.

Opening with Nascimento's "Cio da Terra," Ryan Keberle's Collectiv do Brazil gives immediate form to fantasy with a stirring, multihued performance. A trio of originals follows, cementing the trombonist's relationship with the influences supporting this band's foundation. "Campinas," driven by Vicente's tasteful and propulsive drumming in its odd-metered first act, given over to the sounds of Silveira in a more spacious environment, and featuring the leader's round and lustrous sound, proves compelling. "Carbon Neutral," nodding to environmental hopes, moves from a pensive space to a purposeful high. And the pulsating and prismatic title track, serving as an introduction of sorts for Nascimento's "Clube da Esquina 2," offers a sense of mystique.

The second half of the album, starting on the aforementioned classic, leans more heavily on pillars of inspiration. An enthralling rubato setup leads to a serious thrill ride in Horta's "Aqui, Oh!" A romance with quietude shines through on Nascimento's "Tarde." And the lilting beauty of Horta's "Francisca" brings the album to its conclusion. Keberle, a rare artist whose creativity blossoms in all of his endeavors, has found yet another scenario that perfectly suits him.