Tania Maria – Tempo – (with Eddie Gomes, bass) – Naive

by | Mar 2, 2012 | Jazz CD Reviews

Tania Maria – Tempo – (with Eddie Gomez, bass) – Naive NJ621711, 45:37 [Distr. by Naxos] ****:
Never mind the poor cover photo on this new release by the longtime Brazilian pianist and vocalist (she chose it herself) – it’s a great set of eight tunes, half of them original by herself. It’s a good choice for those who don’t care for drums in the rhythm section behind vocalists – this one has only the versatile doublebass of Eddie Gomez behind her.
Tania Maria has out over 25 albums as leader, and her music is not just Brazilian, but shows mixing with jazz, funk and Afro-Cuban. She’s had several very successful releases on the Concord Jazz label, but this one is with the French label Naive. Her raw alto voice has become a standard fixture on recordings, full of enthusiasm and swing. The opener of these set of eight tracks is the great Brazilian classic “Estate.”  Most of the rest will be new to most listeners, although “A Chuva Caiu” is by Bonfa and Jobim.
Her style is bouncy and energetic, supported by a fiercely-swinging keyboard style. Her scat singing is heard on some tracks, often in unison or harmony with her piano playing, adding a distinctive touch to her music. The title tune is the closer and the longest track on the album – another original. (There are, unfortunately, no lyric translations.)
TrackList:
Estate, Sentado a Beira do Caminho, A Chuva Caiu, Yeah Man, Senso Unico, Dear Dee Vee, Bronzes e Cristais, Tempo
—John Henry

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