Bossa Nova has apparently become the bane of most of the American jazz critics. In this country we have not had the inundation which has caused so much pain to our friends, yet on the other hand, they have yet to be exposed to the Beatles.
The medium is, as you are no doubt aware, gentle, melodic and much confined into its category. Getz has done as much for the style as it has done for him and, although some argue that he doesn’t play the music from its roots, he is undoubtedly, to non-Latin ears at any rate, its greatest exponent.
This collection reaches the high level of the preceding “Jazz Samba” and “Big Band Bossa Nova” albums and has to distinguish it the guitar of the Bunk Johnson of B.N., Luiz Bonfa. One suspects that Miss Toledo, who is a delightful and rather innocuous singer, has been added to break with the original formula of the first LP.
While welcoming this album as a successful and tasteful jazz offering, I would suggest that it is time that Getz got back into the pure jazz field, where he is also supreme.
Discography
(a) Sambalero; (a) So Danço Samba; (a) Insensatez; (a) O Morro Nao Tern Vez; (b) Samba De Duas Notas (21 min) – (b) Menina Flor; (b) Manina De Maria; (c) Saudade Vem Correndo; (a) Urn Abraço No Getz; (c) Ebony Samba (21 min)
(a) Stan Getz (ten); Luiz Bonfa (g); Antonio Carlos Jobim (g, p); George Duvivier (b); Tommy Williams (b); Paulo Ferreira (d); Jose Carlos (d); Maria Toledo (vocals).
(b) Getz, Bonfa, Toledo, Ferreira, Don Payne (b).
(c) Getz, Bonfa, Toledo, Ferreira, Dave Bailey (d), Payne. N.Y.C., 8-9-27/2/63.
(Verve VLP 9038 12inLP 32s.)
