Latin Jazz Music

The people who are producing these gems at Proper in the U.K. must be commended for at least knowing a broad range of great music. I have heard from a friend that the Baden Powell part of this set is great...I can say, as both a fan, and as a friend of the late guitar genius from Brazil, Laurindo Almeida, that his portion is 5 star. Laurindo started his own label - Brazilliance Records - and this small portion can be found on it. "Escadoo", "O Barquinho", "The Samba Medley (from 'Black Orpheus')" are all great Almeida treatments. Anyone who really wants to delve into the heart and soul of Laurindo's favorite stuff should look for "Formation Of Brazillian Music" on the Brazilliance label - hopefully still in existence, and hopefully being run by his wife, Deltra - herself a great singer. There are many more Brazilliance works, as Almeida was a great composer, player, and proponent of Brazilian music, both popular and classical, but my favorite is the aformentioned "Formation..", which features the stunning 'Brazilian Popular Suite' by Brazilian composer Radames Gnattali. Brazilliance Records is, hopefully, still run out of Sherman Oaks, California.

I find the depth of this music with it's shapes, movement and soulful searching to be more than enough to recommend it highly.
The rhythmic and structural components are complex AND musical which is refreshing in any context.
The musicianship and feeling expressed here is also wonderful and all in all a joy to the involved listener.
Plus, like most good cuban composers, the music moves you physically with deep grooves that while not readily counted out take you on a journey if you're willing.
ENJOY!

R.Holland

Absolute Quintet, by Dafnis Prieto, is a jazz quintet affair with an unusual instrumentation by traditional standards: drums, piano, cello, violin, and saxophone. We hear a lot of terminology in music discussions, but I oppose genre labels as difficult to manage and just plain stupid. So, if I engage in a little of that stupidity, I'll say that this group indulges in a fair amount of latin jazz while also dabbling i what some writers call "chamber jazz". If you accept the idea that chamber jazz is an idea and not a genre, then we can accuse this band of that crime. And what I mean by that term is a form of jazz that emphasizes the traditional sounds, structures and rhythms of jazz, but where jazz since the late 1940s has emphasized improvisation, chamber jazz emphasizes written arrangements and less spontaneity--even for small groups like this.

Like a lot of chamber jazz-influenced acts, the approach gives Mr. Prieto's combo a fairly airless feel, as if the life was squeezed out of the band by the complex arrangements and tunes. When the group is allowed some blowing room, Yosvany Terry, the saxophonist on all but one track, brings up some fire, but this group seems to spend more time thinking than swinging. Pianist Jason Lindner also brings up some nice work when he gets the room, but Prieto's fascination with intricate rhythms just squeezes every idea into a straitjacket of overly complex and shifty underpinnings. Still, the playing is always gorgeous and the tunes are lovely, taking full advantage of the rich sound of double-stopped stringed instruments to make the band sound much bigger than you'd expect. The disk is pleasant enough, but hardly seems worth a Grammy nomination.

This album has to be one of the best house funk albums ever produced. I dare anyone to keep still when listening to these tracks. You just cant help but move your body, wanting all your friends to share your pleasure.

He likes to talk about himself...lets just say that.

My daughter and I had season tickets to the Augusta Synphony. She was ten. Music appreciation, etc. Boy were we surprised. She normally seemed bored at these concerts, but when Joe Kennedy, Jr. started playing we both knew this was different. I've NEVER heard anything like it. I'd never heard of jazz violin before. You just have to hear this. He's a music professor from Virginia - he ought to be famous. If you like violins, and if you like jazz, then you'll love this. Buy it..