JOÃO DONATO - The New Sound of Brazil : Piano of João Donato (1965) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This very evocative 1965 recording session was a cause for celebration not only among critics but among the bossa nova-crazed audiences of Brazil and the U.S, and it sold quite well. Donato is a jazz pianist first, and his allegiances in harmony and melody come from there first and foremost. But rhythmically and in his phrasing, he comes from the generation of Brazilian musicians who developed the bossa nova as an art form. His touch is light, his settings are lush and laid-back, and his playing is as much or more from his left hand as his right. Solos on these records are wonderfully improvised, but they reflect the sweet, gorgeous melodies on the front line of these tunes. As such, Donato comes across as an elegant pianist and ensemble player, establishing his individual touch as a leader in that left hand rhythmic bent where he loves those shaded keys. His finest compositions here are his own: the sensual "Amazon," the slightly sassy and savvy "It Didn't End," and his reading of Luiz Bonfá's "Samba de Orfeu," which rivals the original for its ambience and texture with a gorgeous string arrangement courtesy of conductor Claus Ogerman. This is one of Brazil's more moving and beautiful bossa albums, and should not be overlooked by recent fans of the genre or by jazz fans interested in the exotic side of the music. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist
1 Amazon (Amazonas) 2:31
João Donato
2 Forgotten Places (Coisas Disantes) 2:13
João Donato / João Gilberto
3 Little Boat (O Barquinho) 2:27
Ronaldo Bôscoli / Roberto Menescal
4 Manhã de Carnaval 3:08
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Maria
5 Lost Hope (Esperança Perdida) 2:07
João Donato
6 And Roses and Roses 2:32
Dorival Caymmi
7 Jungle Flower (Flor Do Mato) 2:41
João Donato
8 Sugarcane Breeze (Vento Do Canavial) 2:29
João Donato
9 How Insensitive (Insensatez) 2:51
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10 Samba de Orfeu 2:41
Luiz Bonfá
11 Glass Beads (No Coréto) 2:00
João Donato / João Gilberto
12 It Didn't End (Nao Se Acabou) 2:21
João Donato
 Credits
Acoustic Bass – Richard Davis 
Acoustic Guitar – Carlos Lyra, Luiz Bonfá (tracks: 4, 10)
Arranged By, Conductor – Claus Ogerman
Drums – Bill Goodwin
Drums, Percussion – Dom Um Romao
Flute – Jerome Richardson
Piano – João Donato
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland

JOÃO DONATO - The New Sound of Brazil : Piano of João Donato

 (1965 / 2001) RCA / FLAC (tracks), lossless 

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