First off RC, congrats on the 2,000th post!!!
If that ain't commitment, then I do not know what is.Way to roll!
Much respect.
Second off....
TONINHO HORTA - DIAMOND LAND 1988
One of my favorite albums of all time by the master himself Toninho Horta!
This album puts together a special mix of comtemporary jazz and bossanova.There is no mystery here,each song is crafted like a brilliant sculpter.Taking you through each note and each melody as if your eyes was gazing upon a work of art.This album was release on Verve back in 1988,it hit the airwaves with regular play on the urban jazz stations in 89'.Guitarist Toninho Horta has his own unique style.There is really no one to compare him to.Although, you can hear his style incorporated in the later works of Pat Metheny.Of whom he served as a mentor at one time.
The tide of
Diamond Land rolls in with the opening number
Mountain Flight..A smooth bossanova number reminiscent of
Tom Jobim.You can easily visualize yourself on Copacabana beach in Rio watching the gorgeous woman go by wearing nothing but their imagination.While sipping on a strong caipirinha.The great soprano saxophonist Wayne Shorter joins him for
Ballad of Zawinil.Toninho scats along to Shorter's ebbs and flows.A perfect compliment to
Mountain in the morning to late evening effect.After this introduction,Toninho gets into his craft with
Raul.Accompanied by Jim Beard on keys,it feels like Stevie Wonder meets Spyro Gyra.This upbeat tune drifts off halfway through the destination into a quick take back to the bossanova you are familiar with.Like two songs in one.
Like many Jazz albums during this time frame,it is saturated with great studio musicians and is layered with the easy voices of people like Joyce,Andrea Daltro and Ricardo Vilas and many others.
From the Lonely Afternoon states it's case in the style of Kevin Eubanks then engages upon the comfortable delights of the storied musicianship from the orators who use music as speech from the great country of Brasil.While the song
Luisa will bring to mind Earth,Wind and Fire...while
Pilar the album's only disappointment sounds like something from a Kevin Costner movie soundtrack.The personal highlight of the album for me is
Waiting For Angela.There is not too many songs that I have heard in my lifetime that is more beautiful than this one.It would probably remind you of an instrumental version of Marvin Gaye's
Til Tomorrow.As it keeps the desired effect.Slow dance heaven here.
The album is capped off by a record that had become synonymous with Toninho called
Beijo Partido(Broken Kiss).
It's sort of like a quicker "Moody's mood for love".As Toninho lays down his part in Portuguese and Joyce gives the English version.It's light and airy and is good for the eardrums.All told the album to me is sort of a meeting point of between the old school Bossanova and the smooth jazz and world fusion that surfaced heavily here in the states during those years.It's the good wine that you break out when company comes by the house,then hide it away from your drunk uncle by storing it in a safe place.It will not disappoint.
Your pilot has been Beatmaster31 on this flight and I hope you enjoyed your trip.
Peace.
