Antonio Adolfo Samba Jazz Alley

Antonio Adolfo
Samba Jazz Alley
AAM Music

Pianist and arranger Adolfo has been one of the more prominent artists who, influenced by bebop, soul, and West Coast Jazz trends, crafted a more rhythmically robust instrumental interpretation of the lithe and flirtatious bossa that became known as 'Samba Jazz.' The title refers to an obscure dead-end alley in the heart of Rio de Janeiro’s storied Copacabana neighborhood that served as a breeding ground for the city’s up-and-coming instrumentalists and singers during the heyday of bossa nova. Adolfo advises us that the alley was known as Bottles Alley' because "neighbors in taller buildings used to throw bottles down from their apartments to protest the loud music and boisterous conversations below." The alley "was like a cauldron of jazz, samba and bossa nova… ."

Recorded in Brazil, Adolfo has a core ensemble that features the three-horn frontline of trumpeter Jessé Sadoc, woodwind artist Marcelo Martins and trombonist Rafael Rocha, and a rhythm section of Adolfo guitarist Lula Galvão, bassist Jorge Helder, drummer Rafael Barata, and percussionist Dada Costa. There are guests on some songs. Of the nine selections, two are Adolfo compositions, and the remainder features his arrangements of classic bossa nova compositions.

The music is bright, breezy, and full of slow-burning heat starting with "Ceu E Mar (Sky and Sea)" with his clean, crisp, horn arrangements giving a fuller sound than the three horn line-up might suggest along with his deft piano. Martins is impressive in his fiery tenor sax solo, followed by Adolfo's lyrical playing and Helder's bass solo. "Hello, Herbie" is a tribute to the Herbie Hancock that is in part a contrafact of "Cantaloupe Island" and Jesse Sadoc's solo is incendiary, followed by Galvāo's fleet guitar. "So Por Amor (Just For Love)" from Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moraes opens with some precious piano, and this beautiful performance features Rocha's marvelous, romantic trombone solo. Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" refers to a neighborhood in the northeastern Brazilian town of Recife.

"Tristeza De Nos Dois" is a gorgeous bossa ballad and features the harmonicas of Mauricio Einhorn, one of the composers of this number and a legendary player, and Gabriel Grossi, a current harmonica sensation. The weaving of the two harmonica's is engrossing and adds to the charm here. Two Jobim numbers round out this album, "Passarim (Little Bird)" with Martin's marvelous soprano sax solo, and a performance of the celebrated "Corcovado" with the spotlight on Adolfo's deft piano, Sadoc's mellifluous flugelhorn and Martin's alto flute. These splendid performances close another superb recording from this Brazilian jazz master.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here is "Ceu E Mar" from "Samba Jazz Alley."

Antonio Adolfo HYBRIDO - from Rio to Wayne Shorter

Antonio Adolfo
HYBRIDO - from Rio to Wayne Shorter
AAM Music

Brazilian composer-pianist-arranger Antonio Adolfo explains about his latest project which focuses on the music of Wayne Shorter, "The mixing of races and different cultures is irreversible in today's world. In music, this trend has been happening for a long time and has resulted in a very healthy hybridism of different musical genres. …The music of the great Wayne Shorter is predominant in this recording. It has especially inspired me through his melodies and harmonies, which have continued to influence musicians of several generations and continents." Adolfo also notes that Shorter himself has been influenced by the music of different cultures. Focusing primarily on Shorter's repertoire from the 60's, he is joined on this project by Lula Galvão - (electric guitar); Jorge Helder - (double bass); Rafael Barata - (drums and percussion); André Siqueira - (percussion); Jessé Sadoc - (trumpet); Marcelo Martins - (tenor/soprano saxes, flute); Serginho Trombone - (trombone); Claudio Spiewak - (acoustic guitar on #3) and Zé Renato - (vocals on #2).

There is plenty of superb musicianship starting with "Deluge," the only performance on which the leader plays Fender Rhodes piano. It is followed by nicely reimagined "Footprints," with Renato's vocalization joining the horns as the breezy tempoed adaptation has a  cleanly articulated solo from Galvão followed by some gruff trombone, piano and a short bass break. "Beauty and the Beast," derives from one of Shorter's mid-seventies collaboration with legendary Brazilian composer, musician and singer Milton Nascimento and the bossa nova flavored rendition here sports not simply a typically sonorous arrangement, but a feathery flute solo from Martins along with Adolfo's lyrical solo with Spiewak chording on acoustic guitar with Martins switching to soprano.

"Prince of Darkness" from Miles Davis "ESP" album is nice reworked with colorful rhythmic accents and soaring, lyrical soprano sax, dancing piano, lithe, scintillating guitar with a sparkling rhythm section. A heated "Black Nile" has an energetic horn ensemble  with Martins' brawny tenor sax, and nicely developed solos from Adolfo and Galvão. Brazilian rhythms are incorporated into the rendition of "Speak No Evil" with  rousing trombone, focused, vigorous tenor sax, and with the leader's imaginative free-flowing playing. It is followed by Adolfo's deconstruction of "ESP" with Martins spotlighted with his graceful soprano along with some thoughtful, nimble chordal playing from Galvão and Adolfo's choice playing. "Ana Maria," from the collaboration with Nascimento is a lovely Bossa performance with exquisite piano, Martins' soaring, twisting soprano and Galvão's shimmering guitar.

Adolfo's original "Afosamba," provides a lively conclusion with Sadoc's fiery, brash trumpet featured along with dynamic percussive interplay leading to more delightful piano on a composition that displays the influence Shorter has had on Adolfo himself. It concludes a well conceived and performed tribute to one of music's most significant figures for over half a century. With Adolfo's arrangements, the marvelous ensemble playing and the thoughtful, as well as imaginative, solos make for a fascinating, superb recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist.