VARIOUS ARTISTS
Blue Note Plays Jobim

Blue Note Plays Jobim also features wonderful performances by a diverse group of artists doing interesting things with Jobim material. The opener is Cassandra Wilson’s excellent reading of “Waters of March” from her excellent 2001 recording Belly of the Sun. Recorded in Clarksdale, MS, it features Kevin Breit on slide guitar, longtime Wilson collaborator Marvin Sewell on acoustic guitar, bassist Mark Peterson and percussion from Cyro Baptiste. Bud Shank follows with “Samba Do Aviao (Song of the Jet)” with his rhythm section of Brazilian musicians that makes this a truly authentic recording. This was recorded in 1965, a long time after Shank recorded what is arguably the first bossa recording, Brazilliance, more than a decade prior. Still, no Jobin collection could be considered complete without a version of “The Girl From Impanema.” Here Eliane Elias provides a sexy vocal along with her trademark piano work, while Michael Brecker plays Stan Getz to her Astrud Gilberto. Oscar Castro-Neves, who was also there the first time around, plays guitar, while bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Paulo Braga round out the group.

Pianist Duke Pearson works with Flora Purim and Airto Moreira on a 1970 recording of “Lamento” that is letter-perfect. From gipsy guitarist Birelli Lagrene’s Standards recording comes a meditative reading of “Insenstez (How Insensitive).” Birelli is accompanied by Niel-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and drummer Andre Ceccarelli. Duke Pearson returns with Airto (who sings on this one) and vocalist Stella Mars with a version of “Once I Loved” that emphasizes the song’s melancholy nature. Frank Foster and Bobby Hutcherson also make appearances in Pearson’s group. Mars is not the vocalist that Flora Purim is, but the piece is interesting enough.

Earl Klugh demonstrates what he can do in the studio with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and top-notch material, unleashing his version of “Triste,” originally heard on his early 80s album Late Night Guitar. Most listeners agree that this CD is one of Klugh’s finest. Stanley Turrentine’s version of the Jobim classic “Wave” features McCoy Tyner at the piano, Gene Taylor on bass, and Billy Cobham at the drum kit. Recorded in 1969 at the Van Gelder Studio, it appeard on Turrentine’s Blue Note release Ain’t No Way. It’s amazing the extent to which people forget that Turrentine was making beautiful, smooth music with great content long before the Mr. T. CTI days.

Blue Note Plays Jobim ends with reprises of the strongest vocalists on the CD, Cassandra Wilson and Elaine Elias. Wilson does “Corcovado” and makes it seem like she’s singing it to you in a friend’s living room at 3 A.M. Elias takes us out with a great rendition of “Desafinado” featuring Eddie Gomez ane Jack DeJohnette, with Nana Vasconcelos providing some touches on percussion. This CD is a great listen for fans of Jobim’s music, as well as for anyone who enjoys Brazilian samba-influenced jazz.