Trio Da Paz, 30

When a guitar-bass-drums trio manages to stay together over 30 years, it is an accomplishment. There are good reasons, always, why this might be so. Musical and personal compatibility, sure, and if they have been able to capture the spotlight this long, artistic reasons as well.

So that most certainly is the case with the Brazilian samba-jazz juggernaught Trio Da Paz. Their new CD 30 (Zoho 201602), celebrates the long-lived union with an album of exemplary music. Duduka da Fonseca, the renowned and exemplary drummer, is here, along with Brazilian nylon-stringed guitar wizard Romero Lubambo and the very musical bassist Nilson Matta.

With the exception of the Baden Powell evergreen "Samba Triste" the program consists entirely of originals by the band members. They satisfy as you would expect, but the dynamic and very well burnished trio improvisational ways are what makes for a remarkable listen.

Romero is a Brazilian-jazz guitarist of the highest rank. He takes the rhythmic-chordal style so important to samba and makes of it something outstanding, personal and beautiful. His general linear sense makes of him a veritable icon. All that is plain to hear on this album. But then outstanding as well is how the triumvirate mesh together at all points. Matta's bass playing gains critical mass in this ensemble and he functions as the all important pivotal key between the beautifully inventive rhythmic presence of da Fonseca and the harmonic-tonal-rhythmic counterthrusts of Lubambo.

In all this album could serve as a primer for anyone who seeks to absorb the very subtle interplay of a jazz samba trio today. Time, tone and timbre come together for a truly inspired set from the very best. Can I suggest you grab this one? Very recommended!

Ark Ovrutski and his Sounds of Brasil CD

Ark Ovrutski, bassist, rooted in Russian, Ukranian, and New York City culture. . . .So why does he do a Brazilian flavored jazz album, Sound of Brazil (Self-Produced)? Why does anybody do anything? He's into the style is the obvious answer. What counts is the music, of course.

So he got together with drummer Duduka da Fonseca and put together a nice quintet of Brazilian and American musicians, namely Craig Handy (flute, alto, tenor), Jorge Continentino (flutes, tenor, bari), and Helio Alves (piano). They amassed some hip tunes and arrangements and. . . well there you have it. Duduka, Helio and Ark have much to do with getting a samba groove going and then the reeds get their solo shots (along with good piano and bass solo slots). Everything gels. If this sometimes sounds more like the Corea ventures into samba territory than, say, the Zimbo Trio, that can be understood. There are Afro-Latin elements (quasi-Tyner-esque?) in the rhythm department too, but that fits in fine.

This is an album that gets in good solo time, gets a Brazilian-American groove hopping with a modern jazz looseness, and pleases without pandering.