Vanderlei Pereira and Blindfold Test Vision for Rhythm

Vanderlei Pereira and Blindfold Test
Vision for Rhythm
Jazzheads

While he has been an in-demand Brazilian drummer who has been in the U.S. for over 30 years, "Vision for Rhythm" is Vanderlei Pereira's recording debut. Born and raised in Macaé, Brazil, Vanderlei Pereira began playing drums professionally when he was 15. Conservatory trained and playing with a symphony orchestra, he became blind in his early thirties as a result of inherited retinitis pigmentosa. Not able to work as a classical musician (which requires reading), he concentrated on his work as a top jazz and samba drummer. Moving to New York in 1988, Pereira became a greatly in-demand drummer on the Brazilian jazz scene and earned a degree in Jazz Studies from the Mannes College of Music. His resume includes working and recording with legends such as Toots Thielemans, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Sivuca, Leila Pinheiro, Dom Salvador, Bebel Gilberto, Leny Andrade, Tito Puente, Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Paul Winter, Claudio Roditi, and Romero Lubambo.

His blindness led to the pun of both his band's name (Blindfold Test) and the album title (Vision). On this recording, the great drummer is joined by Jorge Continentino – tenor sax, flute, alto flute, pifano; Susan Pereira – voice, percussion; Deanna Witkowski – piano; Paul Meyers – acoustic guitar; and Gustavo Amarante – electric bass. Rodrigo Ursaia – tenor sax, and Itaiguara Brandão – electric bass play on 3 tracks. This is a formidable group of musicians as is evident immediately when listening to Aorta's "Misturada." Not only does Vanderlei Pereira provide an irresistible samba groove, but the harmonious horn lines of Continentino's flute and Susan Pereira's wordless horn-like vocalizing captures the listener's ears and body. In the publicity for this recording Aorta is quoted, “The best version of Misturada so far! The melody with Susan and the flute is perfect and the band is killing.”

Meyers' acoustic guitar adds so much flavor to the effervescent "Misturada." Meyer's guitar and Continentino's clean-toned, fluid tenor sax shine on the leader's breezy original, "Ponto de Partida." After this relaxed number, there is the heat of a Carnival parade on Toninho Ferragutti's "Chapéu Palheta." The spirited groove helps spur the sensational wordless soloing from Susan Pereira and others. One cannot praise her contributions along with those of the other musicians. The entire recording is of this quality. Needless to say, Vanderlei Pereira plays impeccably throughout and displays why he has been so in demand over these past thirty plus years. This is simply an outstanding Brazilian jazz album.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Vanderlei Pereira and Blindfold Test performing "De Volta à Festa."

 

Gabriel Espinosa Songs of Bacharach and Manzanero

Gabriel Espinosa
Songs of Bacharach and Manzanero
Zoho Music

Growing up as a youth in Merida, in the Yucatan, Mexico, bassist, composer and arranger Gabriel Espinosa, first was exposed to the music of American composer Burt Bacharach and Mexican composer Armando Manzanero in the mid-60's when both came to prominence in their respective countries. Growing up at that time he was member of a band that played both Beatles songs and bossa novas and at the time also getting introduced to jazz. Hearing both Bacharach and Manzanero at that time affected him greatly as they both "wrote beautiful, highly memorable melodies with sophisticated harmonies … ." Espinosa, in fact, worked with Manzanero in the mid-90s helping produce two albums by him.

Exploring common ground between the two, and getting to fulfill his desire to do a vocal album with his favorite songs by the two, he selected five songs from each, and invited the wonderful Tierney Sutton to sing the five Bacharach numbers while he handled five from Manzanero. Among those accompanying Espinosa, a Professor of Jazz Studies at Central College in Pella, Iowa, are pianist Misha Tsiganov, drummer Mauricio Zottarelli, trumpeter Jim Seeley and chromatic harmonica virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens, who he has collaborated with as co-leader on various projects. Espinosa plays bass on three tracks, "Adoro," "Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head," and "Cuando Estoy Contingo," while his arranger’s touch is prevalent throughout. Songs from Bacharach and Manzanero. Joe Martin plays upright bass on three selections while Gustavo Amarante plays electric bass on four.

Espinosa's arrangements and leadership provide the unifying thread of the music which alternates between his Spanish vocals of Manzanero' songs and Sutton's English renditions of the Bacharach songs that will be much more familiar to most listeners. While Sutton has established herself as among the leading jazz vocalists of today, and has dueted with Espinosa before, this is his first album where he has presented himself as a vocalist and ably acquits himself throughout as on the driving rendition "Adoro" as well as "Come Yo Te Aime," with Meurkens contributing his wonderful harmonica here as well as on the poignant "Esta Tarde VI Llover." The most familiar Manzanero song is "Somos Novios" which will be familiar to Americans as "It's Impossible." Espinosa's romanticism is complemented by the warmth of Seeley's flugelhorn.

The Bacharach numbers should be familiar to most listeners. The Carpenters' classic "(They Long To Be) Close To You" opens with a dreamy romanticism before segueing into a lively samba groove with Itai Kriss contributes lovely flute, while "The Look Of Love" is rendered as a bossa nova with Sutton's soft vocal aided by Misha Tsiganov's electric piano and Seeley's melodic trumpet. Sutton provides a restrained "What The World Needs Now," backed by just a trio, with Zottarelli using brushes and Tsiganov's accompaniment a display of restraint and eloquence. Meurkens harmonica contributes to Sutton's melancholic take on "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," as well as her wistful interpretation of "Alfie."

As Bill Milkowski observes in his liner notes, "Espinosa puts his own unique spin on these ten classics with subtle reharmonizations to inject new colors along with new intros, interludes and rhythmic twists that draw on his background in bossa nova, samba and jazz." With the vocals of him and Sutton's, and the fresh arrangements of these songs, one has a delightful album of vocal jazz, where the romance and melody lingers on long after one has finished listening.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Hendrik Meurkens and Gabriel Espinosa in performance.

Eliane Amherd is Here "Now and From Now On"

Swiss born singer-songwriter and guitarist, Eliane Amherd, has established herself amongst the New York jazz, latin and Brazilian music scene. A graduate of the New School’s Jazz Program she has a new self-produced CD Now and From Now On that displays her musical sensibility that extends beyond any specific genre. Backed by an unusual band of Bill Ware’s vibes, Gustavo Amarante on bass, Willard Dyson on drums and Ze Mauricio on percussion, she brings a hip, varied musical performance with her smokey delivery of her free flowing lyrics (with exception of Tom Waits’ “Temptation”). One might suggest as a reference point that Eliane Amherd sounds like a Sheryl Crow with a jazz and world-music sensibility.

Emherd is more than an intriguing singer as she displays some sharp guitar chops on As If, followed by the afro-beat of Me TeTan Pliji with its very playful rhythms and lyrics (she effectively has overdubbed backing vocals here and elsewhere) “I’d like to swim in the ocean, like to swim in the ocean, like to be in the deep blues sea; but all I have here is a river, all i have is a river, much too wild and too cold is he.” Don’t Give Up On Me has a bluesy flavor, and in addition to her pleading vocal, has some nice guitar. The playful Afro-Caribbean rhythms complement the vocal for the ironic Feel a Little Sorry For Yourself as she sings about the recession special and cocktail hour that one should take full advantage of feel sorry for oneself. The wistful Where Is Home (“do I go east, do i go west, don’t know no more, which way is best”) is followed by the playful vocals and lyrics Let Me Explain, with its bossa rhythms. Wait’s Temptation draws out a sultriness in Emherd’s vocals while her guitar chords help frame Bill Ware’s vibes solo.


Overall, Emherd impresses as a singer and songwriter and the arrangements she has provided her band strengthen the effect of what this listener found to be quite captivating music here. Now and From Now On is wonderfully recorded by Jason Sarubbi and while the 11 performances only last 38 minutes, the performances are small gems. It is available at cdbaby.com and Eliane’s website is www.elianeperforms.com.
I received a review copy from a publicist for this release.