Roseanna Vitro - Tropical Postcards

Styles: Vocal, Bossa Nova
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:15
Size: 140,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Song Of The Jet
(6:46)  2. Land Of Wonder
(3:50)  3. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:21)  4. Certas Canções
(5:28)  5. Kisses
(5:17)  6. I Just Need Your Kisses
(5:50)  7. Reza
(3:47)  8. I Remember You
(5:27)  9. Wave
(5:49) 10. Cravo E Canela
(7:53) 11. In Search Of My Heart

Tropical Postcards isn't the first time that Roseanna Vitro has embraced Brazilian jazz; over the years, the expressive vocalist has recorded some Brazilian songs here and there. However, Tropical Postcards is the first time that Brazilian jazz has seriously dominated one of her albums, and it is also among her best, most inspired and memorable projects. Vitro doesn't embrace Brazilian jazz exclusively on Tropical Postcards; she gets away from the album's Brazilian theme on McCoy Tyner's "In Search of My Heart" (which favors more of a modal/Indian/Middle Eastern ambience) and Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You." Nonetheless, Brazilian jazz is the album's primary direction, and that theme serves Vitro impressively well whether she is tackling Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" and two Milton Nascimento songs ("Cravo e Canela" and "Certas Cancoes") or providing a bossa nova interpretation of the standard "I'll Be Seeing You."

Thankfully, Tropical Postcards doesn't have an all-standards-all-the-time policy; Vitro, much to her credit, isn't afraid to offer some surprises when it comes to selecting material. "Wave," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "I Remember You" have been recorded countless times, but Vitro true to form also surprises us with some gems that jazz vocalists haven't paid nearly as much attention to, including Tom Harrell's "Terrestris" and Ivan Lins' "I Just Need Your Kisses." Clearly, Vitro is smart enough to realize that a song doesn't have to be a Tin Pan Alley warhorse to have value, and she knows how important it is for a jazz vocalist to put his/her stamp on some lesser known pearls. Tropical Postcards is an excellent addition to Vitro's catalog. ~ Alex Henderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/tropical-postcards-mw0000209663

Recording information: Charlestown Road Studios, Hampton, NJ. Photographer: Paul Wickliffe.

Personnel: Roseanna Vitro (vocals); Dean Johnson , Nilson Matta, Robert E. Bowen (bass instrument); Tom Lellis (vocals); Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Chieli Minucci (guitar, electric guitar); Don Braden, Joe Lovano (saxophone); Kenny Werner (piano); Duduka Da Fonseca, Cecil Brooks III (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion); Trio da Paz.

Tropical Postcards

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Alex Clarke Quartet - Only A Year

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2022
Time: 53:26
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 49,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:34) 1. Brazilian Affair
(5:03) 2. Shake It But Don't Break It
(5:36) 3. Bye Bye Baby
(6:02) 4. Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters
(4:23) 5. Beetroots Burn
(7:17) 6. It’s You Or No One
(7:54) 7. Only A Year
(6:48) 8. Where Or When
(4:44) 9. Who's Smoking?

Since releasing her debut album, Mirage, in 2018 and her performance in the final of the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, Alex Clarke has continued to build on her early achievements and in doing so has made remarkable progress.

With this her second album, she has continued to up her game and delivered a fully realised set of standards that is difficult to fault. It certainly doesn’t hurt to recruit a top flight rhythm section of David Newton, Dave Green and Clark Tracey, but you still have to deliver the goods and this the saxophonist does with splendid results.

Playing both alto and tenor saxophones there is little to choose between either horn, and while she is happy to name Phil Woods, Cannonball Adderley and Scott Hamilton among her influences she sounds like none of them, instead bringing her own sound and feel for the material.

After a lovely piano introduction from Newton, Alex romps through ‘Bye Bye Baby’ with a strong and full alto sound, and a solo that is swinging, melodic and refreshingly cliche free.

This is immediately followed by Billy Strayhorn’s lovely ‘Ballad For Very Tired And Sad Lotus Eaters’ on tenor. Played with a big round sound, her tone on the larger horn grabs the attention and leaves the listener captivated by every phrase and nuance as she states the melody. There is a majestic quality to her phrasing on the ballad that is quite arresting, and one that Alex is able to transfer to quicker tempos too, as can be heard with her confident swagger on Erroll Garner’s ‘Shake It But Don’t Break It’.

Her phrasing positively sings on ‘Where Or When’ which also features an ebullient solo from Newton, and Alex pays a fitting acknowledgement to Phil Woods on ‘Brazilian Affair’ with some top draw alto playing.

In a set of predominantly standards, Alex has the confidence to sneak in a couple of her own compositions that don’t sound out of place at all in such esteemed company.

Sitting comfortably in there is a swinging ‘Beetroots Burn’ that have the rhythm section digging right in, and the lovely title track, ‘Only A Year’. A beautiful melody, simply played with a lovely full tone on alto by Alex and a gently swinging and lyrical solo from David Newton. Taking up the baton from the pianist, Alex spins out her own delightful and assured solo on what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite pieces on the album.

All in all, this is superb outing from a young musician who has absorbed enough of the tradition to have paid her dues, and yet feels confident about being able to stand up and bring her own personality to the music.

The rhythm section keeps things tight, yet have enough combined experience to allow the saxophonist plenty of space, and as such the music comes across as being more than simply the sum of its parts.

Special mention should also go to the fifth member, engineer Andrew Cleyndert who does an excellent job of capturing the sound and assisting in making this the quality album it is. By Nick Lea

Personnel: Alex Clarke (alto & tenor saxophone); David Newton (piano); Dave Green (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums)

Only A Year

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