Oscar Castro-Neves - All One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:07
Size: 144.5 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Double Rainbow
[4:49] 2. All One
[4:10] 3. Kurski Funk
[4:47] 4. Morrer De Amore (I Live To Love You)
[5:18] 5. Holding With An Open Hand
[2:46] 6. Não Me Diga Adeus
[4:41] 7. Naima
[4:42] 8. Historia De Un Amor
[4:53] 9. 'round Midnight
[5:23] 10. The Very Thought Of You
[5:05] 11. More Than Yesterday
[2:47] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:36] 13. Prelude Op. 28, No. 20
[4:16] 14. One Bad Habit

Acoustic Bass – Brian Bromberg; Backing Vocals – Isela Sotelo, Kenny O'Brien, Luis Chaparro, Paulina Aguirre; Drums – Alex Acuña, Mike Shapiro; Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone [Soprano, Tenor], Bass Clarinet – Gary Meek; Percussion – Kevin Richard; Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet – Don Grusin; Violin, Viola – Charlie Bisharat; Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Arranged By – Oscar Castro-Neves.

Oscar Castro-Neves has been one of the most important Brazilian musicians on the jazz scene for some time. His skills as a guitarist, vocalist, composer, and arranger are all on display in this release. Starting with a swinging instrumental setting of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Double Rainbow," which incorporates Charlie Bisharat's Gypsy-like violin, Gary Meek's multiple reeds, and pianist Don Grusin, Castro-Neves signals that this is not going to be a predictable release. His compositions include the funky, strutting "All One" and the infectious "Holding with an Open Hand." The surprising rendition of "'Round Midnight" begins dramatically, then suddenly turns into a lively upbeat bossa nova. Equally compelling are his arrangements of standards like "The Very Thought of You" and "There Will Never Be Another You," both of which feature his warm, friendly vocals. The only disappointment is the inclusion of smooth jazzer Michael Franks' lightweight, monotonous "One Bad Habit" to close an otherwise flawless CD.By Ken Dryden

All One

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Lee Ritenour - The Captain's Journey

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:37
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:02)  1. The Captain's Journey
(5:53)  2. Morning Glory
(5:05)  3. Sugarloaf Express
(4:53)  4. Matchmakers
(5:27)  5. What Do You Want
(5:24)  6. That's Enough For Me
(3:49)  7. Etude

Guitarist Lee Ritenour had just switched from Epic to Elektra when he cut Captain's Journey in 1978. It was a followup to the successful crossover work Captain Fingers and used a similar strategy: tight, hook-laden arrangements, polished production, and minimal solo space. What individual things it has are dominated by Ritenour, a supremely talented guitarist who doesn't display that much of it with these arrangements. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-captains-journey-mw0000120708

Personnel: Lee Ritenour – guitar, guitar synthesizer, rhythm arrangement; Dave Grusin – synthesizer , Minimoog, Rhodes piano , electric grand piano, piano; Ernie Watts – tenor and soprano saxophone; Ray Beckstein – flute, Eddie Daniels – flute Dave Valentin – flute David Foster – Rhodes piano, piano; Don Grusin – piano; Patrice Rushen – Rhodes piano , electric grand piano; Ian Underwood – synthesizer; Jay Graydon – guitar; Mitch Holder – guitar; Anthony Jackson – bass guitar Abraham Laboriel – bass guitar; Steve Gadd – drums; Alex Acuña – drums, percussion; Paulinho da Costa – percussion; Sue Evans – percussion; Steve Forman – percussion; Larry Rosen – percussion; Steve Thornton – percussion Patti Austin – vocals; Bill Champlin – vocals, vocal arrangement; Venette Gloud – backing vocal; Carmen Twillie – backing vocals; David Nadien – strings; Ed Walsh – programming

The Captain's Journey

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Don Grusin - Laguna Cove

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Laguna Cove
(3:50)  2. No Tanlines
(4:16)  3. Sunburn
(4:05)  4. Sunset @ Peggy's
(4:05)  5. Cats of Carlsbad
(4:36)  6. Heartbeat
(3:44)  7. Kickin' Back
(5:06)  8. Odalisque
(4:09)  9. Naked Truth
(4:47) 10. Crazy

Contemporary Jazz and World music with classic melodies and deep harmonies soaring over grooves that feel good, all supported by strong acoustic piano playing. This project was recorded in Laguna Beach at Award Records by Mike Hatcher and all my guys came down from Los Angeles to play the spirit of the Laguna Beach air, water, hills, sunsets... These players brought their hearts and musical depth to the party:
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/dongrusinmusic2

Personnel: Gerald Albright - Sax, Sal Marquez - Trumpet, Walfredo Reyes Jr - Drums, Guitarist Wayne Johnson, and Bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco.

Laguna Cove

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Don Grusin - Piano In Venice

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:04
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Rose & Main
(5:18)  2. Washington Way
(4:34)  3. Abbot Kinney Blvd
(4:58)  4. Pacific Av
(3:56)  5. Electric Av
(3:05)  6. California Ct
(3:53)  7. Amoroso Pl
(3:01)  8. Lincoln Blvd
(4:35)  9. Ozone Ct
(6:18) 10. Speedway
(2:50) 11. San Juan Av
(4:13) 12. Venice Blvd
(4:40) 13. Oakwood Av

I moved to Venice in August 2007 to compose and record a piano album using the many loops and samples that I’ve collected over the past few years as my accompanying rhythm track partner. The electronica you’ll hear are grooves from every musical genre, guitar licks, voices, dancers, people clapping and singing, birds, animals, traditional percussion instruments from everywhere in the world. One of my favorite samples is the Paolo Soleri bell which was the doorbell of my recording studio-livingroom in the little house I rented on Crestmoore Place near the French Market. You’ll hear the Soleri bell on tk 11, san juan av.  My inspiration for melodies, moods, grooves came from throughout that beautiful ocean community... the beach, the carnival boardwalk atmosphere, the best air in LA, the hang with the people in local bars and restaurants and coffee shops, the neighborhood birds, dogs and cats, and in particular the contrasting personalities of the local streets for which I named the tracks. If you click on each of the titles you can read the inspiration for the music and the grooves. https://music.dongrusin.com/album/piano-in-venice

Personnel: Don Grusin (piano, keyboards & programming)

Piano In Venice

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Diane Schuur - Deedles

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. The Very Thought Of You
(5:20)  2. New York State Of Mind
(3:54)  3. Teach me Tonight
(2:35)  4. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(4:20)  5. I'll Close My Eyes
(4:13)  6. Reverend Lee
(3:22)  7. I'm Just Foolin' Myself
(4:59)  8. Rock Me On The Water
(4:41)  9. Can't Stop A Woman In Love
(3:20) 10. Amazing Grace

On her 1984 debut album, vocalist/pianist Diane “Deedles” Schuur triumphs from the start (a fluid, assured vocal delivery on the standard “The Very Thought of You”) to the end (a duo version of “Amazing Grace” with her on piano and coproducer Dave Grusin on keyboards). Deedles is both traditional, with a 20-piece string section, and contemporary-sounding, with electric bass throughout. Schuur’s career-long penchant for tackling the contemporary songbook is established here with a pair of numbers from the '70s: Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” (one of two tracks to feature her mentor, tenor saxophonist Stan Getz) and Jackson Browne’s “Rock Me on the Water.” It’s definitely an album of its time, with Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer and occasional Simmons electronic drums. But her effortless scat interpolating of the circus favorite “Entrance of the Gladiators” into Ellington’s “I’m Beginning to See the Light” is evergreen. ~ Editors' Note https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deedles/29085

Personnel: Vocals – Diane Schuur; Drums – Moyes Lucas (tracks: 1 to 9); Electric Bass – Dan Dean (tracks: 1 to 9); Electric Guitar – Howard Roberts (tracks: 1 to 9); Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Dave Grusin (tracks: 5, 6, 10);  Harp – Gloria Agostini;  Percussion – Dave Grusin (tracks: 2, 3, 6,);   Piano [Acoustic Piano] – Dave Grusin;  Strings – Barry Finclair, Charles Libove, Charles McCracken, Elena Barere, Gerald Tarack, Harry Lookofsky, Jan Mullen, Jean Ingraham, John Pintavalle, Julien C. Barber, LaMar Alsop, Lewis Eley, Regis Iandiorio, Richard Locker, Richard Sortomme, Sue Pray, Theodore Israel;  Strings, Concertmaster – David Nadien;  Synthesizer [OBX-a] – Dave Grusin (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10);  Synthesizer [Yamaha DX-7] – Don Grusin (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 9)

Deedles

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Quincy Jones - Mellow Madness

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:11
Size: 101.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 1975
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Is It Love That We're Missin'
[2:55] 2. Paranoid
[3:27] 3. Mellow Madness
[6:12] 4. Beautiful Black Girl
[4:16] 5. Listen (What It Is)
[3:28] 6. Just A Little Taste Of Me
[5:25] 7. My Cherie Amour
[3:02] 8. Tryin' To Find Out About You
[4:29] 9. Cry Baby
[7:00] 10. Bluesette

Backing Vocals – Carolyn Willis, Jesse Kirkland, Jim Gilstrap, Joe Greene, Leon Ware, Myrna Matthews, Paulette McWilliams, Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler; Bass – Louis Johnson; Congas, Percussion – Ralph MacDonald; Drums – Harvey Mason; Featuring [Introducing] – Brothers Johnson, Paulette McWilliams; Guitar – George Johnson, Wah Wah Watson, Toots Thielemans; Keyboards – Dave Grusin, Don Grusin, Jerry Peters, Quincy Jones; Saxophone – Ernie Krivda, Jerome Richardson, Sahib Shihab; Trombone – Frank Rosolino, George Bohanon; Trumpet – Bill Lamb, Chuck Findley, Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler. Recorded at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, Westlake Audio, Los Angeles.

Released not long after Quincy Jones was operated upon for life-threatening brain aneurysms, the music community was glad to have this album around (you can almost sense Q's own relief as he holds his forehead on the cover). Basically, though, it continues the polished, percolating soul direction that Q initiated with Body Heat, alienating purists but entertaining R&B audiences that rushed to buy it. The album is given its commercial edge by two new Jones discoveries, George Johnson (guitar, vocals) and Louis Johnson (bass), who would leap to fame the following year on their own as the Brothers Johnson. One attraction for jazz listeners is Toots Thielemans' "Bluesette," in which the Belgian virtuoso does a nice guitar/whistle cameo and Frank Rosolino blows some fine trombone, but the track is not helped by the overdubbed soul voices. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Mellow Madness mc
Mellow Madness zippy

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Lee Ritenour - Friendship

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Sea Dance
(6:46)  2. Crystal Morning
(7:03)  3. Samurai Night Fever
(6:23)  4. Life Is The Song We Sing
(6:03)  5. Woody Creek
(6:21)  6. It's A Natural Thing

The third of three Lee Ritenour sets originally cut for Japanese JVC and in 1991 reissued domestically on CD matches the studio guitarist with what could be called the "Crossover All-Stars": Ernie Watts (on tenor and soprano), both Dave and Don Grusin on keyboards, electric bassist Abraham Laboriel, drummer Steve Gadd and percussionist Steve Forman. They perform pleasant but somewhat forgettable originals by Rit, Watts and both Grusins, the kind of lightly funky background music that one would expect from expert studio players.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/friendship-mw0000093718

Personnel: Lee Ritenour (electric & acoustic guitars), Ernie Watts (soprano & tenor saxophones), Don Grusin (electric piano), Dave Grusin (electric & acoustic pianos), Abraham Laboriel (electric bass), Steve Gadd (drums), Steve Forman (percussion). 

Friendship

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Dave Grusin, Don Grusin - Sticks And Stones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 132.8 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 1988/2012
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Birds With Long Legs
[4:57] 2. Pico Pica
[4:19] 3. Sailing At Night
[5:13] 4. River Song
[6:09] 5. Sticks And Stones
[5:18] 6. Glissade
[7:29] 7. Good Ol' Boys
[5:29] 8. This Little Pig Has The Blues
[4:52] 9. Dog Heaven
[4:18] 10. Southern Wind
[4:50] 11. North-Tribal Step Dance

This set works very well. Dave Grusin and his younger brother Don Grusin use a variety of keyboards to create a series of colorful duets. Other than Dori Caymmi's "Southern Wind," all of the fairly spontaneous yet well-planned performances are originals by one or both of the brothers. Even listeners who are not that much into electronics will find much of interest on this melodic and funky, yet often unpredictable set. ~Scott Yanow

Sticks And Stones mc
Sticks And Stones zippy

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Dave Grusin - Out of the Shadows

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:34
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Last Train To Paradiso
(5:19)  2. She Could Be Mine
(5:50)  3. Crystal Morning
(6:05)  4. Five Brothers
(6:58)  5. Anthem Internationale
(6:50)  6. Serengeti Walk
(1:59)  7. Hokkaido
(5:15)  8. Sweetwater Nights

Dave Grusin has been a highly successful performer, producer, composer, record label executive, arranger, and bandleader. As a pianist, Grusin tends toward the fusion and smooth end of jazz, but he's primarily an accomplished film and television soundtrack composer. Grusin played with Terry Gibbs and Johnny Smith while studying at the University of Colorado. He was the assistant music director and pianist for Andy Williams from 1959 to 1966, and then started his television composing career. Grusin recorded with Benny Goodman in 1960, and with a hard bop trio which included Milt Hinton and Don Lamond in the early '60s. He also played and did a session with a quintet including Thad Jones and Frank Foster. Grusin did arrangements and recorded with Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, and Carmen McRae in the early '70s. He played electric keyboards with Gerry Mulligan and Lee Ritenour in the mid-'70s, then helped to establish GRP Records out of a production company. GRP developed into one of the top contemporary jazz and fusion companies; they were later taken over by Arista, then by MCA. Grusin continued recording through the '80s and '90s, doing numerous projects, from fusion and pop to working with symphony orchestras. He has also conducted the GRP Big Band, scored such films as The Fabulous Baker Boys, and performed duet sessions with his brother, Don, and Ritenour. In addition to his numerous GRP releases, Grusin has also recorded for Columbia, Sheffield Lab, and Polygram. 

In 2011, he released the concert album and DVD An Evening with Dave Grusin, which featured him backed by the 75-piece Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra revisiting works from throughout his varied career. ~ Ron Wynn https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/out-of-the-shadows/id21802007

Personnel: Dave Grusin (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Lee Ritenour (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Don Grusin (Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Lincoln Goines (upright bass, electric bass); Steve Gadd (drums); Rubens Bassini (percussion).

Out of the Shadows

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Don Grusin - No Borders

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:31
Size: 107,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Remember Africa
(4:19)  2. Makossa Beat
(4:51)  3. Dakar Daughter
(5:40)  4. Reunion (Dog, Cat, Bird)
(4:31)  5. Colonial Empire
(5:01)  6. Rai Baby
(3:43)  7. Trinidad
(4:37)  8. 10 Degrees East
(5:29)  9. Frontier
(3:48) 10. San Carlos

Despite playing many songs with geographic titles and including a map of the world in the liners, keyboardist Don Grusin's release is not about world music. The performances are actually overly safe and uniformly easy-listening with upbeat melodies, highly competent but anonymous players and gentle background vocalists; only "Rai Baby" generates a little heat. There is little excuse for such bland music from such talented musicians as Grusin, altoist Eric Marienthal, guitarist Ricard Silveira and violinist Jerry Goodman, making this date a distinct disappointment. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/no-borders-mw0000612509

Personnel: Don Grusin (vocals, piano, synthesizer, hand claps); Clydene Jackson, Dori Caymmi , Arnold McCutler, Kate Markowitz, Arnold McCuller (vocals); Ricardo Silveira (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, hand claps); Abraham Laboriel, Sr.(electric guitar, hand claps); Jerry Goodman (violin); Eric Marienthal (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Joseph Davis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Alex Acuña (drums, congas, bongos, cymbals, hand claps, percussion).

No Borders

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Don Grusin - Raven

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 126,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Flight Of The Raven
(4:32)  2. Two Lives
(4:43)  3. Hip Hop Be Bop
(6:03)  4. Oracle
(5:28)  5. Outback Oasis
(4:44)  6. Light in the Window
(5:32)  7. Zuma Noon
(5:12)  8. Um Beijo (A Kiss)
(4:24)  9. Graffiti-Bird
(4:14) 10. Highline
(5:26) 11. Catwalk

As he proved in his production of David Benoit's 1989 smash Urban Daydreams, the younger brother of Dave Grusin is a master at texturing various synth textures with the acoustic piano. On his solo debut Grusin once again does a remarkable job of this, mixing up his styles along the way to include bits and pieces of funk, Brazilian and mainstream jazz, along with healthy doses of the obligatory pop jazz formulas. Though the ballads here, such as "Oracle," are likable, Grusin the player is most at home on funky and frisky numbers like the stealthy "Catwalk," which features some tasty acoustic improvisations layered sparingly amidst a contagious synth groove. The best cut is another funkfest, "Graffiti Bird," which features the very punchy solo chops of saxman Eric Marienthal. The horns of Gary Herbig, Gary Grant, and Jerry Hey brass up this cut, as well as the softer line of "Light in the Window," while Sal Marquez's trumpet (which added so much to The Fabulous Baker Boys) adds a mainstream touch to songs like the title cut. The Brazilian vocalizing by Djavan makes "Two Lives" a memorable experience as well. And let's not forget kudos for the solid backbeat by bassist Flim Johnson and skinmaster Tommy Brechtlein. GRP was the smooth jazz mecca for many years, but once in a while the label released a project like this which added a lot of twists to the tried and true. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/raven-mw0000207728

Personnel:  Don Grusin - Producer, Arranger, Piano, Piano (Acoustic), Synthesizer, Vocals;  Ricardo Silveira – Guitar; Tom Brechtlein – Drums;  Eric Marienthal - Saxophone (Alto), Saxophone (Soprano);  Gary Herbig - Saxophone (Alto), Saxophone (Soprano), Saxophone (Tenor), Flute (Alto);  Kate Markowitz - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Marilyn Scott - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Sal Marquez – Trumpet;  Djavan – Vocals;  Jim Gilstrap - Vocals, Vocals (Background);  Gary Grant - Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Flute (Alto);  Jerry Hey - Flugelhorn, Trumpet;  Jimmy Johnson – Bass.

Raven

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Don Grusin - Native Land

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:02
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Ritual
(4:58)  2. Smilin'
(4:42)  3. Catch The Spirit
(5:28)  4. Khalifa
(4:45)  5. Madala
(4:58)  6. Native Land
(5:39)  7. Road Town
(4:35)  8. Dreamland
(4:35)  9. Onde (Own-gee)
(5:13) 10. Totem

Don Grusin has truly immersed his musical skills in the growing popularity of world music, music indigenous to people of different cultures throughout the world. On Native Land, Grusin has crafted a sound of music that drifts from one corner of the world to the other. He is supported by such outstanding instrumentalists as Alex Acuna, drums and percussion; Abraham Laboriel, bass; Ricardo Silveira, guitar; and Judd Miller, with a variety of exotic instruments such as the pennywhistle, fletchorn, oboe, Astorian, tuben, and taegum. Always performed with passion and sensitivity, this recording is fresh and daring to be different. http://www.allmusic.com/album/native-land-mw0000100178

Personnel: Don Grusin (vocals, piano, synthesizer, percussion, programming); Judd Miller (oboe, tuben, taegum, fletchorn, Astorian, pennywhistle, Shawmettes); Dave Gruisin (piano); Ricardo Silveira (guitar); Abraham Laboriel (bass); Armand Sabal-Lecco (vocals, bass, talking drum, percussion, piccolo bass, talk box); Alex Acuna (drums, percussion).

Native Land

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Stephen Bishop - Romance In Rio

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:14
Size: 105.9 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Soft rock
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Under The Jamaica Moon
[3:36] 2. On And On
[2:40] 3. Hello
[4:44] 4. Un Baile Del Corazon
[4:23] 5. Save It For a Rainy Day
[3:03] 6. Never Letting Go
[3:56] 7. Bish's Hideaway
[5:05] 8. Annalia
[3:39] 9. Take This Empty Heart
[3:32] 10. One More Night
[3:59] 11. Separate Lives
[3:53] 12. New York in the Fifties

Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop joins legendary Brazilian guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves to conjure a sensual, tropical atmosphere — the sound of pure romance. Travel to the far shores of the heart's yearning with Romance in Rio.

"I've been a fan of Brazilian music for years," says Stephen Bishop. His exquisite songs have often evoked a tropical mood. But with "Romance in Rio," this Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter takes listeners to a private resort of the soul - shimmering with sensual, entrancing melodies and swaying rhythms. Romance in Rio means to have an earnest, heartfelt longing, especially for something or someone beyond reach," he explains of the album's title. It's a longing; it's much more than nostalgia."

With legendary Brazilian guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves (A.C. Jobim, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder) and longtime Bishop collaborator Peter Bunetta sharing production duties, Bishop set out to evoke this feeling, selecting six classics from his catalog and six new songs for "Romance in Rio." In addition to such favorites as "On and On, " "Bish's Hidewaway," "Separate Lives (previously an Oscar-nominated #1 duet for Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin) and "Save It For A Rainy Day," Bishop delivers several lovely new compositions. With "Romance in Rio," Bishop's fans can enjoy what is perhaps his most intimate offering yet, an enticing soundtrack to the eternal dance of the heart.

Oscar Castro-Neves (guitar, keyboards, sampler); Gary Meek (woodwinds, saxophone); Don Grusin (piano, keyboards); Kevin Ricard (percussion).

Romance In Rio

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