Ithamara Koorax - Rio vermelho

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:37
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Sonho de um sonho
(5:38)  2. Retrato em branco e preto
(6:41)  3. Correnteza
(4:54)  4. Preciso aprender a ser so
(5:26)  5. Tudo acabado
(3:48)  6. Ternura antiga
(4:27)  7. Nao sei
(3:37)  8. E preciso dizer adeus
(6:06)  9. Cry me a river
(7:05) 10. India
(3:44) 11. Rio vermelho
(8:14) 12. Se queres saber
(4:02) 13. Empty glass

Any American who is seriously into Brazilian music knows that he/she cannot rely on U.S. labels alone; it is important to look for CDs that come out on Brazilian labels but make it to the U.S. as imports. Ithamara Koorax is a perfect example of a Brazilian pop-jazz vocalist who was well-known in Brazil before she had any North American releases. Although she didn't have anything out in the U.S. until Fantasy licensed Serenade in Blue from Brazil's Jazz Station label in 2000, she had provided several excellent albums for Brazilian and Japanese labels in the '90s. One of them was 1995's Rio Vermelho, which came out on Imagem in Brazil and Paddle Wheel in Japan. Emphasizing ballads, this pop-jazz effort is a fine example of Brazilian torch singing Rio Vermelho is mood music with a very Rio de Janeiro-ish sound. Rio de Janeiro, in fact, is where percussionist/arranger Arnaldo DeSouteiro produced this CD. Saying that Rio Vermelho is mood music isn't saying that Koorax's performances should fade into the background quietly she brings so much soul, depth, and emotion to the lyrics (most of them in Portuguese) that listeners would be doing themselves a disservice if they didn't turn up the volume and pay very close attention. And all of the songs that Koorax picks are perfect for a torch album, including Antonio Carlos Jobim's "É Preciso Dizer Adeus," the title track (a Milton Nascimento gem), and Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me a River." The latter is one of only two English-language performances on this CD; the other is Luiz Bonfá's "Empty Glass," which also appears on Koorax's superb Bonfá tribute, Almost in Love: Ithamara Koorax Sings Luiz Bonfá. But whether she is singing in Portuguese or English, Rio Vermelho is a first-rate torch album. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/rio-vermelho-mw0000538470

Personnel:  Bass – Jamil Joanes, Ron Carter;  Clarinet – Paulo Sergio Santos;  Drums – Pascoal Meirelles;  Flute – Carlos Malta;  Guitar – Luiz Bonfá, Maurício Carrilho;  Lead Vocals – Ithamara Koorax;  Piano – Antonio Carlos Jobim;  Piano, Synthesizer – Paulo Malaguti;  saxophone – Carlos Malta, Daniel Garcia (9), Sadao Watanabe

Rio vermelho

---

Ithamara Koorax - Love Dance - The Ballad Album

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:41
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Ligia
(2:17)  2. I loved you
(7:21)  3. Love Dance
(4:15)  4. La Puerta
(9:54)  5. Man Alone
(5:36)  6. Amparo
(4:20)  7. Someday
(4:58)  8. Flame
(2:12)  9. April in Paris
(7:30) 10. Blauauge

Ithamara Koorax has released several albums in Brazil and Japan, but Love Dance is only the second US album for this star from Rio, the follow-up to her debut Serenade in Blue. With her unmistakable voice, Koorax sings English, Portuguese, and Spanish love songs composed by such masters as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, Marcos Valle and Ivan Lins, plus songs by Claus Ogerman and Jurgen Friedrich (in German). Her voice manifests this diversity to its advantage: Koorax does not sound like a Brazilian singer or an American singer or a jazz singer or a pop or Latin singer. She sounds like she can sing just about anything. Subtitle this set “The Dedication Album”: the soothing and seductive opening version of Jobim’s “Ligia” is dedicated to Stanley Turrentine; “Man Alone” to Jimmy Scott; “Blauauge,” a duet with composer Friedrich on piano, to Art Farmer; and the title track to Mark Murphy (whose 1988 Milestone session, September Ballads, inspired this Dance ). With "Love Dance," performed with Azymuth, Koorax transforms one of Brazilian composer Ivan Lins’ finest moments into one of her own finest moments, too. 

She sails with this smooth fusion band, letting the last few notes of a phrase throatily fade in a husky whisper (like Stan Getz on sax), sharpening and rounding notes’ edges, then exploding like brilliant sunlight to close. Love Dance also features John McLaughlin’s first date supporting a vocalist (“Man Alone”) and album notes by Ira Gitler, neither honor a small one. ~ Chris M.Slawecki https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-dance-the-ballad-album-ithamara-koorax-fantasy-jazz-review-by-chris-m-slawecki.php

Personnel: Personnel: Ithamara Koorax (vocals); Nelson Angelo (acoustic guitar, piano); Luiz Bonfá (acoustic guitar); John McLaughlin (electric guitar); Jose Carlos Ramos (flute); Juarez Araújo (clarinet); Mario Castro-Neves (piano, keyboards); Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jurgen Friedrich (piano); Marcos Valle (keyboards); Manuel Gusmao, Sergio Barroso (acoustic bass); Jorjao Carvalho, Alex Malheiros (electric bass); Jorge Pescara (fretless bass); Cesar Machado, Ivan Conti, Joao Palma (drums); Sidinho Moreira, Dom Um Romao, Arnaldo DeSouteiro (percussion).

Love Dance - The Ballad Album

---

Bonfa & Burrows - Brazil

Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 50:45
Size: 85,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. The Shade Of The Mango Tree
(3:22)  2. Sofisticada
(6:06)  3. Enchanted Sea
(2:33)  4. Batucada
(5:28)  5. Menina Flor
(2:36)  6. Giselle
(3:09)  7. Prelude
(2:04)  8. Passeio No Rio
(4:21)  9. Morning Of The Carnival
(2:50) 10. Amoroso
(2:06) 11. Indian Dance
(3:08) 12. Himalaia
(9:05) 13. The Gentle Rain

Although overshadowed by the towering figure of Antonio Carlos Jobim and to a lesser extent by João Gilberto, Luiz Bonfá was right there at the birth of bossa nova as well. In fact, at least two of his songs, the haunting "Manha de Carnaval" and equally evocative "Samba de Orpheus" swept the world at least three years before Jobim's songs began to make a global impact, paving the way for the first Brazilian wave. In addition, Bonfá cultivated a delicate, precise classical guitar style, though more attuned to the traditional samba rhythm than the Gilberto/Jobim bossa nova lilt. Born near the bay of Guanabara in Rio his father was an Italian immigrant Bonfá took up the guitar at eleven and studied classical guitar with the Uruguayan master Isaias Savio. He began to work Rio's clubs as a singer with the Quitandinha Serenaders, and by 1946, he was appearing on Brazil's Radio Nacional. By 1957, Bonfa was beginning to split his time between New York City and Rio, touring the U.S. with singer Mary Martin, as well as writing and recording Brazilian film scores. The turning point in his career came in 1959 when film director Marcel Camus asked Bonfá to contribute some songs to his film version of the play Orfeo do Carnaval (to be renamed Black Orpheus on the screen). The director originally rejected "Manha de Carnaval" as the film's main theme, but after coming up with what he felt was an inferior second effort, Bonfá fought for his first tune and got his way, and "Manha de Carnaval" became a global pop/jazz/folk standard. In the late '50s and '60s, Bonfá began recording several albums for the American market on EMI Odeon (Capitol), Dot, Atlantic, Cook, Philips, Epic, and Verve, and he and his songs appeared prominently on the Jazz Samba Encore album with Jobim and Stan Getz. His songwriting skills were in demand in the most unpredictable places; for example, he wrote the schmaltzy "Almost in Love" for Elvis Presley (included in the forgettable 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little). 

Bonfá's profile in America virtually disappeared after the '60s, although he continued to tour and write, eventually cutting over 50 albums. But he resurfaced in U.S. CD shops after a 15-year gap in 1989 with Non-Stop to Brazil for Chesky, followed by the ravishing The Bonfá Magic in 1991 (released domestically on Milestone) and 1993's Moods on GSP. Also, the original soundtrack for Black Orpheus is available on a Verve CD, a firsthand snapshot of Bonfá and Jobim lighting the fuse for the world-wide Brazilian music explosion. On January 12, 2001, Luiz Bonfá died of cancer in Rio de Janeiro. ~ Richard S. Ginell https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/luiz-bonfa/id281115#fullText

Personnel:  Acoustic Guitar, Ovation Guitar – Luiz Bonfá;  Bass – George André;  Drums – Josè Boto;  Flute, Alto Saxophone – Don Burrows

Brazil

---

Luiz Bonfá - Solo In Rio 1959

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:47
Size: 150.6 MB
Styles: Samba, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[1:36] 1. Pernambugo
[2:06] 2. Night And Day
[1:23] 3. Shearing
[2:49] 4. Sambolero
[1:43] 5. Calypso Minor
[2:31] 6. Uma Prece
[2:06] 7. Bonfabuloso
[2:34] 8. Luzes Do Rio
[2:29] 9. Bonfa's Song
[3:21] 10. Peridido De Amor
[2:23] 11. Cancao Do Orpheo
[1:59] 12. Amor Sem Adeus
[1:23] 13. Variacoes Em Violao
[2:49] 14. Seringueiro
[1:44] 15. Chopin
[2:46] 16. Bahia
[2:25] 17. Murder
[5:01] 18. A Brazilian In New York
[1:55] 19. Prelude To Adventure In Space
[1:39] 20. Tenderly
[2:14] 21. Blue Madrid
[1:07] 22. Marcha Escocesa
[0:52] 23. Fanfarra (Fanfare)
[1:10] 24. Samba De Orfeu
[1:20] 25. Manhã De Carnaval 2
[1:51] 26. Perdido De Amor 2
[3:06] 27. Sambolero 2
[2:08] 28. Quebra Mar 2
[0:29] 29. Seringueiro Excerpt
[1:59] 30. Seringueiro 2
[2:35] 31. Luzes Do Rio 2

Solo in Rio 1959 stands as a classic in the massive Luiz Bonfa catalog. Originally issued on the Cook label -- named for its owner, famed audio engineer Emory Cook -- it remained a favorite of the guitarist's throughout his lifetime. The Emory Cook Collection is housed and managed by the Smithsonian and as such, Folkways is able to re-release this masterpiece on CD with many added treasures -- there is an additional half-hour of music on the CD. The original featured 17 cuts. The new version contains 32, including an early version of "Samba de Orfeu." While it is true that it is the guitarist and composer's most famous composition and he recorded it many times, this is the only one on solo guitar. This is the first time it appears anywhere. Also included are two versions of the celebrated "Manhã de Carnaval." The second read is a more up-tempo and shorter version that is breathless in its beauty. Other well-known Bonfa compositions that have alternates here are "Perdido de Amor," "Sambolero," "Quebra Maer," and "Luzes do Rio." Another gem is the startling "Prelude to an Adventure in Space," with its hard swinging samba that transmutes into a dirge-like bolero on a dime. Solo in Rio 1959 offers an early hearing of Bonfa as fully developed, in possession of a stunning range of styles and techniques, all of them employable in the service of the song. The deep lyricism and harmonic richness of Bonfa's playing is unlike anything else before or since. Solo in Rio 1959 is a historic release, and one that will hopefully alert an entirely new generation to the work of this master of the guitar. In addition to the beautifully remastered music in this package, there is a fine biographical and musicological essay by Anthony Weller. ~Thom Jurek

Solo In Rio 1959

---

Luiz Bonfa - Amor! The Fabulous Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:11
Size: 71.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz guitar, Easy Listening
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. Brasilia
[2:31] 2. I'll Remember April
[2:33] 3. Lonely Lament
[1:40] 4. Carnival
[1:31] 5. George Back In Town
[1:48] 6. Blue Madrid
[2:30] 7. Island Of Tindade
[2:44] 8. Old Times (Velhas Tempos)
[2:05] 9. Marajo
[1:20] 10. Indian Dance
[2:34] 11. Nelly
[1:40] 12. Preludio
[2:11] 13. Yesterdays
[1:46] 14. Bagpipes
[1:57] 15. Arabesque

I think this may be the first album made by Bonfa following the international success of "Manha De Carnaval," the theme from Black Orpheus. It's a fairly sparse instrumental album, filled mainly with solo pieces, as well as several tunes where Bonfa is delicately backed up by George Shearing and his band, along with Don Elliott. There is some flashy guitar work, although this album feels pretty lightweight and isn't immediately arresting. It will grow on you with repeated listens, though. Silly cover art. ~slipcue.com

Luiz Bonfa (guitar); Ralph Freundlich (flute); Don Elliott (mellophone, vibraphone, triangle); Tommy Lopez (bongos, congas).

Amor! The Fabulous Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa

---

Luiz Bonfa - The Brazilian Scene

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:38
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 1965/2008
Art: Front

[1:54] 1. Avocado
[2:38] 2. Moonlight In Rio
[3:27] 3. Malaguena Salerosa
[3:08] 4. Zomba
[2:24] 5. Yesterday
[2:19] 6. That Old Black Magic
[2:08] 7. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[3:22] 8. Embolada
[2:03] 9. Bye Bye Blues
[3:12] 10. Her Face
[2:10] 11. Sambalero
[2:46] 12. Dream Girl

There is something truly majestic in the guitar playing and composing of Luiz Bonfá. From solo dates such as 1959's Solo in Rio (issued stateside by Smithsonian Folkways) to his 1972 masterpiece, Introspection, his sound is as telltale as the two other Brazilian guitar greats, Baden Powell and Djalma de Andrade (aka Bola Sete). Bonfá's elegance in style is what sets him apart from even these great masters. There is something utterly unhurried and gentle about his manner of playing, even during its most intense moments or in the most decorative settings (there were a lot of those during the bossa craze). The Brazilian Scene, released in 1965 on the Philips imprint, sits right on the knife edge between something as wonderfully organic as his solo recordings and the more stylized Anglo projects that were flooding the bins at the time. This date was produced by Hal Mooney, who also served as co-arranger along with Bonfá. The Brazilian Scene set features 12 tunes, seven of which are Bonfá originals, and one an arrangement of a traditional song ("Malaguena Salerosa"). The rest are pop standards and some that would be (the Beatles' "Yesterday"). The studio group includes Bonfá's New York studio band, featuring the great drummer Hélcio Milito, bassist Donald Payne, and flutist Jerome Richardson, with strings and a chamber orchestra that were dubbed in later. Bonfá's group was recorded absolutely live from the floor; his guitar playing, full of gorgeous dual pizzicatos, popping bass notes, and extended chord voicings, was captured as it is with no overdubs. This may not seem unusual until you hear it. More often than not it does feel as if a minimum of two guitarists are playing -- check the fluid, kinetic dual pizzicatos and single notes in the traditional tune, where his bass notes ground a flitting attack of two- and then one-string leads amid his basslines, which also feel twinned. Other standouts include the dark edges of "Zomba," with its foreboding horns and dramatic strings. Bonfá moves through them with his minor-key melody playing out in old Brazilian folk dance style, where chords are folded amid twinned lead lines and a hypnotic bassline -- accented on the codas by Milito. It does have the feeling of gentle exotica because of the orchestrations, but Bonfá's playing removes the flowery edges in the tune. Of the pop standards, his reading of "That Old Black Magic" transforms the tune into a top-flight samba, with ticking triple-time percussion by Milito. The band performs this one without accompaniment from the orchestra, and it is among the set's highlights. As far as mid-'60s bossa goes, this one falls to the Yankee side of that a bit, but this is no easy listening date, either. This is colorful and polished Brazilian jazz performed by a crack group with tasteful -- if sometimes overly busy -- arrangements. ~Thom Jurek

The Brazilian Scene

---