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."