Thursday, March 14, 2013

Charlie Byrd - Latin Impressions + Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros


This lovely album, featuring the excellent Charlie Byrd, is an outgrowth of a State Department tour through the vast South American continent, and a tribute its rhythmic yet poignant music. Here you have the mysterious chemistry of many elements-Negroid, Indien, Spanish, Portugese, and now a dash of North American jazz. This sort of Latin incongruity was brought home to me one night while I was walking through the dressing rooms at the Blue Angel looking for a friend. Suddenly I heard two guitars playing the most refined and disciplined Bach. Following the sound, I was astonished to see two beautiful, finely chiseled Indian profiles, attired in native Brazilian costumes. The were the players-demonstrating the strangely contrasting ingredients of Brazilian musical culture. This is also seen in the music of Villa-Lobos, who, altough greatly influenced by European musical cultures, still retained an undertone of the native rhythmic impulse... by Barray Galbraith (from original liner notes)

Having been a major part of Stan Getz's very popular Jazz Samba album, it was only fitting that guitarist Charlie Byrd would start recording his own bossa nova records. This CD reissue brings back the 12 songs originally on the Riverside LP Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros plus six of the 11 tunes from Once More! Bossa Nova. Byrd and his trio (which included bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bill Reichenbach) are augmented on some selections by strings, extra percussion, plus horns. In reality the background musicians are not needed since Byrd was at the top of his form in those days. Unlike some of his earlier sets, these pretty and melodic recordings are very concise (lacking a sense of adventure), clocking in between one-and-a-half and three-and-a-half minutes, and looking toward the guitarist's later Columbia dates. Highlights include "Meditation," "O Barquinho," "Desafinado," "Bim Bom," "O Passaro" and "Limehouse Blues." by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Charlie Byrd
Album: Latin Impressions + Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros
Year: 1962
Label: Universal (2012)
Runtime: 67:32

Tracks:
1.  The Duck (O Pato) (Jayme Silva/Neuza Teixeira) 5:38
2.  Amor Flamengo (Laurindo Almeida) 2:05
3.  Azul Tiple (Charlie Byrd) 3:37
4.  Canción di Argentina (Traditional)  2:06
5.  Manha de Carnaval (Luiz Bonfa/Antonio Maria) 2:36
6.  Homage A Villa-Lobos (Charlie Byrd) 3:18
7.  Bogota (Ricardo Romero) 3:54
8.  Mexican Song No. 2 (Manuel Ponce) 2:50
9.  Mexican Song No. 1 (Manuel Ponce) 0:59
10.  Samba De Uma Nota So (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca) 2:58
11.  Galopera (Maurizio Cardoza Ocampo) 2:13
12.  Vals (Augustin Barrios) 5:36

13.  Yvone (Charlie Byrd) 2:00
14.  Um Abraco No Bonfa (A Salute to Bonfa) (Joao Gilberto) 2:23
15.  Meditacao (Meditation) (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca) 3:13
16.  Voce E Eu (You And I) (Carlos Lyra/Vinicious de Moraes) 2:57
17.  Coisa Mais Linda (A Most Beautiful Thing) (Carlos Lyra/Vinicious de Moraes) 2:42
18.  O Barquinho (Little Boat) (Ronaldo Boscoli/Roberto Menescal) 1:57
19.  Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune) (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca) 2:33
20.  Samba Triste (Baden Powell/Billy Blanco) 2:03
21.  Bim Bom (Joao Gilberto) 1:52
22.  Ho-Ba-La-La (Joao Gilberto) 2:16
23.  Ela Me Deixou (She Has Gone) (Charlie Byrd) 2:36
24.  Passaro (The Bird) (Charlie Byrd) 3:10

Personnel:
Charlie Byrd (Guitar)
Gene Byrd (Guitar, Bass) - 1,3,5,7,10,16,22,24
Keter Betts (Double Bass) - 1,3,5,7,10,16,22,24
Bill Reichenbach (Drums) - 1,3,5,7,10,16,22,24
Earl Swope (Trombone) - 16,22,24
Charles Hampton (Alto Saxophone, Flute) - 16,22,24
Willie Rodriguez (Bongo) - 16,22,24

3 comments:

  1. Cheers, itr....got plenty of Mr Byrd - whom I finally had the treat of seeing live at a local Pizza Express not long before he died - but neither of this pairing. Again, thanks a lot.

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  2. hi' can you please fix the links?

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