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."

 

Diane Schuur Running on Faith

Diane Schuur
Running on Faith
Jazzheads

Grammy-Award winning vocalist and Diane Schuur has her first album in six years. She co-produced this recording with saxophonist Ernie Watts. Besides Schurr and Watts, the backing band includes Key Palmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Thom Rotella on guitar, Bruce Lett on bass and Kendall Kay on drums. In her album notes, Schuur observes that she elected the tunes, which "offered the opportunity to reflect on this place in time, my place in time." And the songs selected include some of her musical heroes from "Miles Davis to Carole King to Paul Simon to Percy Mayfield."

There is a sophisticated, understated approach to two Percy Mayfield songs that open this album, "Walking on a Tightrope" and "The Danger Zone." Guitarist Rotella provides an organ-like accompaniment on the former number while Palmer lays down a middle-range trumpet solo. On the latter song, Rotella lays down a stinging guitar solo, followed by Watts' robust tenor sax. There is charm into Schuur's mix of spoken and sung vocals. However, her performances don't reach the level of those by Mayfield or the late Johnny Adams, arguably the greatest Mayfield interpreter. Schuur's horn-like phrasing provides authority to her rendition of Miles Davis' "All Blues," which includes a stunning trumpet solo by Palmer.

There are deft interpretations of Paul Simon's "Something So Right" and the Beatles' ''Let It Be." Both receive light, sympathetic backing. With Watts' rousing tenor sax opening and some boisterous piano, Schuur sings with spirit on Paul Thorn's "Everybody Looks Good at the Starting Line." Her vocal brings to the fore the lyrics of the Doc Pomus-Kenny Hirsch song "There Is Always One More Time." Then she pays tribute to Jaco Pastorious with her horn-like scatting on Pee Wee Ellis' "Chicken." This tune also showcases Palmer's fiery trumpet, Watts gutbucket tenor sax, and drummer Kay.

The closing performance is the traditional spiritual, 'Swing Low, Swing Chariot," where Schuur is accompanied solely by her piano. "Running on Faith" may not overpower a listener as much as entice one with its intimate, charming performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. here is a performance of Diane singing "Everyday I Have the Blues."

 

Ray Blue Work

Ray Blue
Work
Jazzheads

Tenor saxophonist Ray Blue is based out of New York who has been leading his own groups and recorded several CDs. He also has worked with such artists as Art Davis, Benny Powell, Eddie Henderson, the Charlie Persip Big Band, Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Turre, Ted Curson, and the Sun Ra Orchestra. The core band backing him on "Work" is Sharp Radway on piano, Jeff Barone on guitar, Essiet Okon Essiet on bass, and Steve Johns on drums. Also appearing are pianists Kirk Lightsey and Benito Gonzalez (each on two tracks), trombonist Ron Wilkins (on three selections), Belden Bullock on bass (one song), and Neil Clark on percussion (on three tracks).

Ray Blue is a straight-ahead saxophonist who has a warm tone and swings hard while wonderfully supported by a superior studio band. The title track is a lively Caribbean-spiced evocative of some of Sonny Rollins' compositions like "St. Thomas." As the group provides an infectious groove (aided by Clark's percussion), Blue introduces us to his velvety tone and fluid improvisation. Radway's sparkling solo follows this. There is a spirited, brief rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," with Barone's horn-like guitar echoing Blue's tenor at times. Cannonball Adderly's "Sweet Emma" is taken at an appealing, lazy tempo with Wilkins adding his gruff trombone before Blue's brawny solo. Wilkins also adds his insistent trombone to the swinging interpretations of Jimmy Smith's "Mellow Mond," and George Coleman's "Amsterdam After Dark,"

Blues ballad playing is sublime as displayed his own "My Friend and I Took a Walk," with Benito Gonzalez on piano with John's brushwork exemplary. Gonzalez is also on one of two versions of "That's All," where Blue's cottony, measured playing would have brought a smile to Ben Webster. An equally marvelous rendition of this song done as a duo with Kirk Lightsey is the closing track. Lightsey and Bullock are present on a melodious ballad performance of "Teach Me Tonight."

Among other numbers here is a jaunty rendition of the old pop hit, "Our Day Will Come," and a swinging version of "Everything Happens To Me," that starts as a duet with Johns before the full band joins in. "Work" is an outstanding recording that showcases Ray Blue's marvelous, straight-ahead tenor saxophone.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the November-December 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 387). Here is Ray Blue from 2012 performing "Work."

Our Thing Manhattan Style

Our Thing
Manhattan Style
Jazzheads

The group, Our Thing, is a collaboration between guitarist Roni Ben-Hur whose roots are in Tunisia and Israel, bassist Santi Debriano who was born in Panama and grew up in Brooklyn, and percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca whose roots are in Brazil and their latest effort is "Manhattan Style (Jazzheads). In the publicity materials for this release, mention is made of 'home' as a theme underlying the album whether in the originals from the trio or the covers of compositions from Ellington, Coleman and Jobim.

The music here is breezy, uplifting, reflective and exuberant. Ben-Hur's "Home" opens on an exhilarating fashion as he exhibits marvelous technique and tone displayed before solos from Debriano and then Da Fonseca on an scintillating opening track. Ornette Coleman's mid-tempo blues, "The Blessing," is another vehicle for Ben-Hur to showcase his touch, tone and musical sense that evokes Wes Montgomery and Grant Green to these ears before another taut Debriano solo while the trio's rendition of Jobim's "Polo Pony," further evidences their sophisticated interplay, with the deft support of Ben-Hur's wonderful playing. Ellington's "African Flower" just may be the diamond of this recording of many musical jewels, as Da Fonseca uses mallets and percussion to accent Ben-Hur as he states the theme with a marvelous Arco solo from Debriano the centerpiece. The sober, melancholic tone of Debriano's "Imaginary Guinea" reflects it being composed during the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Its title is a reference to Vodun, whose followers in Haiti believe that Guinea is where their ancestors reside and that they will be reunited with them there in death. Guinea also represents Africa.

This superb recording closes with the lively title track that Da Fonseca composed after seeing Freddie Hubbard at the Blue Note in the 1980s where Hubbard was was “playing his butt off.” This selection opens with Ben-Hur's vibrant lead before Da Fonseca takes an explosive solo. "Manhattan Style" is simply terrific.

I received a download of this from the record company.This review appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). Here is a video clip of the three.

 

Gabriele Tranchina's Wondrous Multilingual Songs of Love's Color

European-raised New York-based Gabriele Tranchina brings love of our multi-cultural and interconnected world, a distinct musical sensibility and a multilingual talent to center stage on her new release, “A Song Of Love’s Color” (Jazzheads). At a relatively early age she was introduced to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chick Corea’s “Return to Forever” with singer Flora Purim, as well as Ella Fitzgerald, music which left a deep imprint on her and reflected in her music today. On “A Song Of Love’s Color,” she performs 11 songs in six languages and vocalise, which her publicity materials describe as a mix of lead and harmonized vocals, RAP, recitation, chant and descant, and backed by a band that includes her husband, Joe Vincent Tranchina, on piano and backing vocals; Santi Debriano on bass; Renato Thoms on percussion and backing vocals; Bobby Sanabria on drums, percussion and backing vocals; and Roberta Sanabria on backing vocals.

She has such a delightful voice as evident from the opening “Chante Comme Si Tu Devais Mourir Demain,” matched to the lively Brazilian rhythms which explode towards the performances finish. Her husband contributed the lovely latin-spiced title song about rainbows. “Samba De Uma Nota So,” (“One Note Samba”) is one of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s most famous songs which she delivers with seeming effortless delivery but her pitch and her sense of timing is flawless including an interlude with a spoken rap-like delivery over smoldering percussion. The ballad “Today,” opens languidly to match the opening lyrics about sad reminiscences before the tempo livens up as someone catches her eye. “Sing a Song Of Children,” is a thoughtful celebration about the songs, laughter and joy of childhood, that stands out even in this strong release. Another Jobim song, “Inutil Paisagem,” has a lovely, languid vocal with a solid bass interlude from Debriano. 

An indication of the varied material her is her Husband’s adaptation of a Hindu prayer and chant, “Asato Maa (Sat Chit Ananda),” with a light latin rhythm as she sings about being led from untruth to truth and ignorance to wisdom.” “Duérmete Niño Bonito,” is an enchanting performance of a Spanish folk lullaby (that will sound familiar to some) to which Joe Vincent Tranchina has added English lyrics and music. “Voz,” is a mesmerizing, salsa-flavored wordless vocal with the percussion of Thomas and Sanabria standing out along with Jon Vincent’s firm, yet understated piano. Thomas, Sanabria and Joe Vincent collaborated on “Solamente Pasión,” with a crisp salsa flavor as she delivers a chorus of “El amor solamente pasión” (“Love is only passion”), against the rap of the band members before the closing “Siehst Du Mich,” a German poem set to music by Jon Vincent with a lovely arco bass solo.

“A Song Of Love’s Color” is a wonderful release that is sure to charm listeners with not only Gabriele Tranchina’s lovely voice, but her wonderful expressiveness and the tight playing in support of her. This is a recording that easily lends itself to repeated listening. Her website is http://www.gabrieletranchina.com/, from which it can be purchased. An earlier cd of hers is available on cdbaby.com so one might expect it to be available there. It is available on itunes and from amazon.com.


This review originally appeared in the July 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 327) at page 8. A publicist provided the review copy.