Paul Desmond - From The Hot Afternoon Original Release Date: 2000 Audio CD (April 4, 2000) Paul Desmond's first genuine all-Brazilian album under the Creed Taylor signature was a beauty, a collection of songs by the then-moderately known Edu Lobo and the emerging giant Milton Nascimento, then only in his early twenties. All Desmond has to do is sit back and ride the Brazilian grooves while lyrically ruminating on whatever pops into his head. It sounds so effortless -- until you try it yourself. The swirling, often gorgeous orchestral arrangements are by Don Sebesky (one CD edition mistakenly gives Claus Ogermann credit on the cover), Airto Moreira leads the samba-flavored percussion forces, and Lobo and his wife Wanda de Sah appear on three of Lobo's four songs. Lobo's "To Say Goodbye," "Circles," and "Martha and Romao" have exactly the brand of wistful sadness that Desmond could communicate so well; on the former, de Sah has to sing well below the register with which she is comfortable, and the strain is painfully obvious. Some of Nascimento's best early tunes are here, including the tense title track, the popping "Catavento," and "Canto Latino." "Catavento" inspires a particularly inventive solo from Desmond where he pulls out one of his age-old tricks, quoting "St. Thomas." The recent Verve By Request edition adds no less than six alternate takes to the package. ~ by Richard S. Ginell You probably are unfamiliar with the small CTI collection featuring the prolific Bruback sax sideman. Sad, because these are amoung the best he did with a larger backing. This has Brazilian lushness right from the first cut. Outubro is a Nascimento tune that will astound you. Look, we are talking Airto, Ron Carter, Dorio Ferrira and Edu Lobo with a who's who in studio greats led by Don Sebesky. You will not regret this masterpiece for one moment. Hell, even the outtakes are gems. Martha & Romao gets so lush you'll put it on repeat at least for an hour..did I regress? Sorry. If that sounds like an exaggeration, wait until you hear the Sergio Mendes '65 alumni, Wanda de Sah literally "breathe" the song "to Say Good-bye." By the way, most people do not know that Sergio Mendes thought this CD up! Here it is, too many of the RCA cuts and too many of the Brubeck stuff is heavily contrived. That is why the Carnegie Hall Live Concert set gives you the REAL Brubeck quartet. This is the same thing. It is so soft and "jazz pure" that the strings only make this CD, and Desmond's next CTI release "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," better. This is a "must have" for any real lover of good music. ~ E. Macomber "gmonet" Personnel: Paul Desmond - alto saxophone Phil Bodner George Marge - saxophone, clarinet, oboe Stan Webb - flute, alto flute, percussion Jimmy Buffington - French horn Patrick Rebillot - acoustic & electric piano Paul Faulise - bass trombone Marky Markowitz Don Hammond Wanda De Sah - vocals Also: Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Airto Moreira, Marvin Stamm, Edu Lobo Paul Desmond - From The Hot Afternoon Tracklist: 01 Outubro (October) (Fernando Brant/Milton Nascimento) 02 Gira Girou (Round 'n' Round) (Milton Nascimento) 03 Faithful Brother (Milton Nascimento) 04 To Say Goodbye (Edu Lobo) 05 From the Hot Aftenoon (Milton Nascimento) 06 Circles (Edu Lobo) 07 Martha & Romao (Edu Lobo) 08 Catavento (Milton Nascimento) 09 Canto Latino (Latin Chant) (Milton Nascimento) 10 Crystal Illusions (Edu Lobo/J. Guarneri/Lani Hall) 11 Gira Girou (Round 'n' Round) -Alternative Take 12 Faithful Brother -Alternative Take 13 From The Hot Aftenoon -Alternative Take 14 Catavento -Alternative Take 15 Canto Latino (Latin Chant) -Alternative Take 16 From The Hot Aftenoon -Alternative Take

• published: 24 Apr 2015
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