NANÁ VASCONCELOS — Saudades (1980) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 1979 recording is probably Afro-experimentalist Vasconcelos' finest. It presents his various facets -- berimbao playing, intricate overlain vocals, fine percussion, even gorgeous guitar -- simply and almost overwhelmingly. This is one of those performances that remind one to never let natural dogmatism get too out of hand. John Roberts
Tracklist :
1 O Berimbau 18:58
Naná Vasconcelos
2 Vozes (Saudades) 3:14
Naná Vasconcelos
3 Ondas (Na Ohlos de Petronila) 7:53
Naná Vasconcelos
4 Cego Aderaldo 10:32
Egberto Gismonti - Naná Vasconcelos
ft: Egberto Gismonti / Mladen Gutesha / Members of the RSO Stuttgart
5 Dado 3:36
Naná Vasconcelos
Credits :
Berimbau, Percussion, Voice, Gong – Naná Vasconcelos
Conductor [Members Of Orchestra] – Mladen Gutesha
Music By [For Strings] – Egberto Gismonti
Orchestra [Members Of] – Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart

LYLE MAYS — Lyle Mays (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lyle Mays waited a long, long time before straying from the Pat Metheny Group to issue his first solo album, but when he did, the results were at once removed but not totally untethered to the Metheny sound and feeling. On his own, Mays' synthesizer solos and textures are close in sound to what he was doing in the Metheny group, but the turns of phrases in his acoustic piano solos reflect the heavy shadow of Keith Jarrett. "Highland Aire" naturally has a buoyant, wistful Scottish flavor; "Teiko" begins with a wash of synths and then offers a mechanical rhythm that is vaguely Asian in feeling; and "Slink" is the closest the album comes to the floating Metheny groove. Although the 14-minute "Alaskan Suite" forms the centerpiece of the LP's side two, the entire side could be considered a suite as a whole, with a ruminative piano solo "Mirror of the Heart" preceding "Alaskan Suite," and "Close to Home" reprising the twinkling, burbling shafts of synthesizer of "Alaskan Suite"'s opening. Bill Frisell gives Mays a different yet no less musical and enterprising guitar foil; drummer Alex Acuna and Metheny group percussionist Nana Vasconcelos are as flexible a team as Mays could want. Marc Johnson is on bass and Billy Drewes is on alto and soprano sax. A very pleasing, thoroughly musical solo debut. Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist  
1 Highland Aire  7:02
Bagpipes [Uilleann] – Patrick Sky
2 Teiko 7:21
3 Slink 8:17
4 Mirror Of The Heart 4:58
Alaskan Suite (14:12)
5 Northern Lights
6 Invocation
7 Ascent
8 Close To Home 6:10
Credits
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Billy Drewes
Composed By, Piano, Synthesizer, Autoharp, Producer – Lyle Mays
Double Bass – Marc Johnson
Drums – Alejandro N, Acuña
Guitar – Bill Frisell
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos

MILTON NASCIMENTO — Angelus (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The list of prominent North American and British fans of Milton Nascimento continues to grow almost exponentially -- and as a result, his first album for Warner Bros, recorded in Rio, New York, Pittsburgh and L.A., has a longer guest list than ever before. On the jazz side, Wayne Shorter reunites with his Brazilian soulmate on two tracks, his beam-of-light soprano soaring brightly, and a quintet containing Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, and Robertinho Silva sails magnificently through two early Nascimento classics: "Vera Cruz" and "Novena" (his first song ever). On the rock side, Nascimento pays homage to the Beatles -- who are as powerful an influence on his album conceptions and sound as anyone -- with a drawn-out, orchestrally backed "Hello Goodbye," and Peter Gabriel lends his voice to the lovely "Qualquer Coisa a Haver Com o Paraiso." Another worthwhile experiment is the convincing transformation of James Taylor's "Only a Dream in Rio," with Taylor's distinctive voice on hand with both English and Portuguese lyrics. But the state of Nascimento's songwriting imagination remains in a moderate slump, made glaringly evident by the inclusion of so much superior early music. Having made his mark as a great songwriter, Nascimento had evolved into a gifted, meticulous record maker, and alas, we have a far, far greater quantity of the latter than the former these days. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1. Seis Horas da Tarde (Nascimento) 4:12
Saxophone [Tenor] – Wayne Shorter
2. Estrelada (Borges, Nascimento) 5:01
Vocals – Jon Anderson
3. De Um Modo Geral... (Lopes, Nascimento) 5:37
Saxophone [Tenor] – Wayne Shorter
4. Angelus (Nascimento) 2:35
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
5. Coisas de Minas (Lopes, Nascimento) 5:27
6. Hello Goodbye (Lennon, McCartney) 4:30
7. Sofro Calado (Faria, Nascimento) 1:11
Arranged By – Robertinho Silva
8. Clube da Esquina, No. 2 (Borges, Borges, Nascimento) 5:51
9. Meu Veneno (Gullar, Nascimento) 3:45
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
10. Only a Dream in Rio (Taylor) 6:30
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
Vocals, Guitar – James Taylor
11. Qualquer Coisa a Haver Com O Paraiso (Nascimento, Venturini) 6:59
Vocals – Peter Gabriel
12. Vera Cruz (Borges, Nascimento) 6:34
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Percussion – Robertinho Silva
Piano – Herbie Hancock
13. Novena (Borges, Nascimento) 5:03
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Percussion – Robertinho Silva
Piano – Herbie Hancock
14. Amor Amigo (Brant, Nascimento) 4:19
Guitar – Pat Metheny
Piano – Herbie Hancock
15. Sofro Calado (Faria, Nascimento) 2:25
Piano – Milton Nascimento

JOHN ZORN - Filmworks I : 1986-1990 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For Zorn, filmscores have always been a place to experiment and the Filmworks Series is in many ways a microcosm of his output. This original installment of the Filmworks Series presents three scores ranging from punk-rockabilly (featuring the nasty guitars of Bob Quine, Marc Ribot and Arto Lindsay); a jazzy Bernard Herrmann fantasy; to a quirky classical/improv/world music amalgam for Raul Ruiz's bizarre film The Golden Boat. Zorn's infamous one minute arrangement of Morricone's classic The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, is included as a bonus track. Out of print for several years, these classic recordings are made available here with the original cover art intact. This is the place where it all began. TZADIK
White And Lazy    
1    Main Title    0:55
2    Homecoming    1:15
3    The Heist    3:20
4    Meat Dream    1:15
5    Phone Call    0:50
6    End Title    1:59
The Golden Boat    
7    Fanfare    0:30
8    Theme    2:59
9    Jazz I    2:51
10    Horror Organ    1:06
11    Mexico    1:56
12    Mood    3:17
13    Rockabilly    2:01
14    Slow    2:47
15    Jazz Oboes    2:33
16    The Golden Boat (Turntable Mix) 2:58
Mixed By – David Shea
17    End Titles    2:53
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly    
18    The Good, The Bad And The Ugly 1:04
Composed By – Ennio Morricone
She Must Be Seeing Things    
19    Main Title    1:04
20    Swirling Shot    1:20
21    Homecoming    3:22
22    Catalina Flash    0:28
23    Seduction    4:54
24    Sex Shop Boogaloo    2:47
25    Catalina Escapes    1:11
26    Worms    1:04
27    Death Waltz Fantasy    1:24
28    Following Sequence    3:03
29    Movie Set    1:20
30    Climax    2:55
31    Going To Dinner    2:38
32    End Titles    3:27
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – John Zorn (pistas: 7 to 17, 19 to 32)
Arranged By, Producer, Executive-Producer, Liner Notes – John Zorn
Bass – David Hofstra (pistas: 19 to 32), Fred Frith (pistas: 18), Mark Dresser (pistas: 7 to 17), Melvin Gibbs (pistas: 1 to 6)
Bass Clarinet – Ned Rothenberg (pistas: 1 to 6)
Composed By – John Zorn (pistas: 1 to 15, 17, 19 to 32)
Drums – Anton Fier (pistas: 1 to 6), Bobby Previte (pistas: 7 to 32)
French Horn – Tom Varner (pistas: 19 to 32)
Guitar – Bill Frisell (pistas: 18 to 32), Robert Quine (pistas: 1 to 18)
Guitar, Vocals – Arto Lindsay (pistas: 1 to 6)
Harp – Carol Emanuel
Keyboards – Anthony Coleman (pistas: 7 to 17), David Weinstein (pistas: 1 to 6, 18 to 32)
Marimba – Bobby Previte (pistas: 7 to 17)
Oboe – Vicki Bodner (pistas: 7 to 17)
Organ [Hammond] – Wayne Horvitz (pistas: 18 to 32)
Percussion – Cyro Baptista (pistas: 7 to 17), Naná Vasconcelos (pistas: 19 to 32)
Percussion, Vibraphone, Timpani, Bells [Orchestra] – Bobby Previte (pistas: 19 to 32)
Piano – Wayne Horvitz (pistas: 19 to 32)
Piano, Organ, Celesta, Harpsichord – Anthony Coleman (pistas: 19 to 32)
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Marty Ehrlich (pistas: 19 to 32)
Trombone – Jim Staley (pistas: 19 to 32)
Vocals – Bobby Previte (pistas: 18), Shelley Hirsch (pistas: 19 to 32)
Vocals, Turntables – David Shea (pistas: 7 to 17)

TRILOK GURTU - Living Magic (1991) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With Jan Garbarek (saxes), Nana (per), Daniel Goyone (k). This is a septet doing Indian, Turkish, Scandinavian, and Brazilian world fusion, which is very well conceived. One of Garbarek's better efforts as collaborator or leader.  by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist  
1    Baba 8:33
Written By – T.Gurtu
2    Living Magic 6:28
Written By – D. Goyone, T.Gurtu
3    Once I Wished A Tree Upside Down 8:02
Written By – J. Garbarek
4    Transition 7:33
Written By – D. Goyone, T. Gurtu
5    From Scratch 2:26
Written By – T. Gurtu
6    Tac, Et Demi 6:35
Written By – D. Goyone, T. Gurtu
7    TMNOK 2:54
Written By – D. Goyone
Credits
Bass, Guitar – Nicolas Fiszman
Congas, Repinique, Voice, Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
Drums, Tabla, Voice, Congas, Percussion, Producer – Trilok Gurtu
Keyboards, Piano – Daniel Goyone
Kora, Cello – Tunde Jegede
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Veena – Shanthi Rao

TRILOK GURTU - The Trilok Gurtu Collection (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trilok Gurtu's percussion work has powered a number of great albums that effectively fuse world music with jazz, allowing for both tight performance and free improvisation. This collection is therefore a gem, selecting ten cuts from six albums. Both an excellent overview and a wonderful place to begin acquainting yourself with Gurtu's music, and thus an essential addition to any jazz or world music collection. by Steven McDonald
Tracklist :
1     Once I Wished a Tree Upside Down 8'03
Jan Garbarek
2     Cherry Town 5'14
Trilok Gurtu
3     Watapa 7'49
Trilok Gurtu
4     Bad Boys 8'39
Andy Emler
5     Believe 6'25
Trilok Gurtu
6     Ballad for 2 Musicians 6'08
Joe Zawinul
7     Manini 7'06
Daniel Goyone / Trilok Gurtu
8     Baba 8'31
Trilok Gurtu
9     Shobharock 7'37
Trilok Gurtu
10     Om 7'13
Traditional
Credits :
Drums, Tabla, Percussion, Voice – Trilok Gurtu
Guitar – Pat Metheny, Ralph Towner
Keyboards, Piano – Joe Zawinul
Percussion – Nana Vasconcelos
Soprano Saxophone – Bill Evans
Trumpet – Don Cherry
Violin – Mark Feldman, L. Shankar
Voice – Shobha Gurtu

ARILD ANDERSEN — Sagn (1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless

After many years working with both fellow Norwegian jazzer Jan Gabarek and such stateside talent as Sheila Jordan, Don Cherry, Sam Rivers, and George Russell, bassist Arild Andersen marked the mid-'70s with the first of several ECM sessions to be cut over the following two decades. Featuring regular collaborators like drummer Paal Thowsen, saxophonist Juhani Aaltonen, and pianist Lars Jansson, Andersen's solo outings not only reflected the airy sound ECM and Gabarek espoused, but the loose and tasteful experimentation of Miles Davis' '60s work as well. For Sagn, Andersen incorporates Norwegian folk songs into the mix with the help of singer Kristen Braten Berg, percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, and a combo of guitar, keyboards, and saxophone. Alternating between sung parts and instrumental segments, the commissioned piece is divided into three sections and finds the group ranging through buoyant swingers and meditative stretches. While a few of the instrumentals get weighed down in guitarist Frode Alneas' rock-tinged contributions, the album mostly comes off quite nicely. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     Sagn, Pt. 1 6:36
Arild Andersen
2     Sagn - Part I: Gardsjenta 2:57
Arild Andersen
3     Sagn - Part I: Eisemo 2:19
Arild Andersen
4     Sagn - Part I: Toll 4:40
Arild Andersen
5     Sagn - Part I: Draum 6:04
Arild Andersen
6     Sagn - Part I: Laurdagskveld 3:44
Arild Andersen
7     Sagn - Part II: Tjovane 5:06
Arild Andersen
8     Sagn - Part II: Sorgmild 6:24
Arild Andersen
9     Sagn - Part II: Svarm 2:13
Arild Andersen
10     Sagn - Part II: Gamlestev 2:29
Arild Andersen
11     Sagn - Part II: Reven 5:13
Arild Andersen
12     Sagn - Part III: Nystev 3:58
Arild Andersen
13     Sagn - Part III: Lussi 5:33
Arild Andersen
14     Sagn - Part III: Rysen 4:57
Arild Andersen
15     Sagn - Part III: Belare 2:32
Arild Andersen
16     Sagn - Part III: Sagn 2:36
Arild Andersen
Credits :
Bass – Arild Andersen
Design – Sascha Kleis
Guitar – Frode Alnaes
Keyboards – Bugge Wesseltoft
Percussion, Vocals – Nana Vasconcelos
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Bendik Hofseth
Vocals – Kirsten Bråten Berg

ARILD ANDERSEN / RALPH TOWNER / NANÁ VASCONCELOS - If You Look Far Enough (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Norwegian bassist Andersen's reputation in Europe over the decades is well established. He has appeared on a number of significant recordings, most notably Jan Garbarek's SAGN, and with his own iconoclastic ensemble Masqualero. IF YOU LOOK FAR ENOUGH distills those past endeavors into a most atmospheric, spacious outing. The more traditional elements of Andersen's heritage meet face-to-face with a profoundly European free-jazz sensibility.
Andersen's guests add noticeable flecks of color and some subtle energy to his nearly minimalist basslines. Ralph Towner's shifting facades of cloudy guitars add a more fluid resonance to the tracks. So does unsung percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, whose legendary stints on countless jazz and world/ethnic albums are all stellar. IF YOU DON'T LOOK FAR ENOUGH is a ruminative album, capable of striking a variety of moods. by AllMusic
Tracklist :
1     If You Look 3:14
Arild Andersen
2     Svev 5:28
Arild Andersen
3     For All We Know 4:02
J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis
4     Backe 5:49
Arild Andersen
5     The Voice 7:47
Arild Andersen / Naná Vasconcelos
6     The Woman 4:40
Traditional
7     The Place 3:09
Traditional
8     The Drink 5:03
Traditional
9     Main Man 5:04
Arild Andersen / Ralph Towner / Naná Vasconcelos
10     A Song I Used to Play 4:08
Arild Andersen
11     Far Enough 6:25
Arild Andersen
12     Jonah 4:03
Paul Simon
Credits :
Bass, Producer – Arild Andersen
Design [Cover Design] – Barbara Wojirsch
Guitar [Guitars] – Ralph Towner
Percussion – Nana Vasconcelos
Snare [Snare Drum] – Audun Kleive 

ARILD ANDERSEN — Arv (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
Del I    
1    Arv I    3:05
2    Sjugur Og Trollbrura    4:14
3    Det Var I Min Ungdom 4:55
Vocals – Bendik Hofseth
4    Liten Va Guten    4:14
Del II    
5    Gardsguten    3:48
6    Guten Og Jenta    3:10
7    Friarstev    1:36
8    Nils Tallefjorden    4:50
9    Han Ole    5:37
10    Kvålins Dans    4:03
Del III    
11    Stabbelåten    2:25
12    Ho Vesl' Astri Vår    4:40
13    Reven Og Skyttaren    7:40
14    Solfager Og Ormekongjen    7:07
15    Skuldalsbrura    6:05
16    Arv II    2:15
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Eivind Aarset
Bass, Composed By, Arranged By – Arild Andersen
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos, Paolo Vinaccia (faixas: 2, 4, 6, 9 to 13, 15)
Piano, Keyboards – Bugge Wesseltoft
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Bendik Hofseth
Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements (Sangarrangement)], Vocals, Jew's Harp, Vocals [Langeleik Sang] – Kirsten Bråten Berg

BADI ASSAD - Verde (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The exotic, one of a kind Brazilian guitarist, singer, and rhythmic mouth and body percussionist has had a stop-and-start career with turns as mysterious and intriguing as
her music. After splashing on the scene with her Chesky debut Solo in 1994, continuing the stir (including vast critical acclaim) with Rhythms (1995) and releasing Chameleon on Verve in 1997, Badi Assad suffered from a series of personal issues that drew her back home for a few years. Fans who were excited about her 2003 re-emergence on the trio date Three Guitars with Larry Coryell and John Abercrombie will be beside themselves with the long-awaited Verde, her first solo project in six years. Those expecting a typical Brazilian vocal album -- she explains the title as "the shades of the Brazilian rain forest" -- will be surprised by Assad's versatility, which incorporates rhythmic textures from around the world. She opens with the very African-flavored voice and dense percussion call-and-response "Cheguei Meu Povo" and a vocal percussion pitter patter interlude before tapping into a sound more typical of classic romantic samba ("Basica"). That sultry side is balanced by her more aggressive vocal and guitar on the feisty "Nao Adianta," which blends modern rock influences with indigenous soundscaping, complete with birdcalls. Other tracks have slight classical leaning, and there's even a little avant-garde oddity apparent on the brief "Feminina." More mainstream ears will be glued to her sly, sexy reading of U2's "One" and soaring, folk- and chamber music-tinged take on Björk's dramatic "Bachelorette," which further confirms Assad's incredible willingness to tackle exotic challenges. Though all the stylistic zigzagging is fascinating, Assad is first and foremost a vocalist of heartbreaking intensity, and tracks like the mournful "Bom Dia Tristeza" best reflect her ability to penetrate the heart. by Jonathan Widran  
Tracklist :
1    Cheguei Meu Povo 2:36
Performer [Band] – Cordel do Fogo Encantado
Written-By – Mestre Walter
2    Asa Branca 1:10
Written-By – Humberto Teixeira, Luiz Gonzaga
3    Básica 3:18
Written-By – Tatiana Cobbett
4    Não Adianta 3:00
Percussion – Guilherme Kastrup
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Young
5    One 4:37
Written-By – U2
6    Voce Não Entendeu Nada 4:08
Written-By – Badi Assad
7    Viola Meu Bem 1:37
Arranged By – Badi Assad
Written-By – Traditional
8    O Verde É Maravilha 2:26
Performer [Venezuelan Cuatro] – Carlinhos Antunes
Written-By – José Jorge, Ruy Maurity, Tim Simenon
9    Feminina 1:58
Written-By – Badi Assad, Simone Soul
10    Bachelorette 4:41
Written-By – Björk
11    Seu Delegado 2:34
Arranged By, Clarinet – Luca Raele
Written-By – Jorge Bernardo, Juraci De A. Aranha, Raul G. Marques*
12    Estrangeiro Em Mim 4:38
Written-By – Badi Assad
13    Bom Dia Tristeza 3:39
Written-By – Adoniran Barbosa, Vinicius De Moraes
14    The Being Between 5:09
Written-By – Badi Assad, Jeff Young
15    Valse D'Amelie 2:05
Written-By – Yann Tiersen
16    Implorando 1:41
Written-By, Guitar – Toquinho
17    In My Little White Top (Básica) 3:49
Written-By – Tatiana Cobbett
Credits :
Accordion – Toninho Ferragutti (faixas: 10, 15)
Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Guitar [12 String] – Webster Santos (faixas: 3, 4, 13, 17)
Bass [Electric & Acoustic] – Rodolfo Stroeter (faixas: 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)
Cello – Dimos Guadaroulis (faixas: 10, 12)
Flute – Teco Cardoso (faixas: 3, 13, 17)
Guitar [7-string] – Edmilson Capelupi (faixas: 3, 17)
Guitar, Vocals, Percussion, Kalimba, Design, Liner Notes, Directed By [Musical], Mixed By, Executive Producer – Badi Assad
Percussion – Guello (faixas: 3, 17), Naná Vasconcelos (faixas: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Vocals – Carolina Assad (faixas: 7, 9)

RON CARTER - Patrão (1981-1993) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Ah Rio 8:13
Ron Carter
2     Nearly 9:43
Ron Carter
3     Tail Feathers 7:06
Ron Carter
4     Yours Truly 5:16
Jeff Lynne
5     Third Plane 7:07
Ron Carter
Credits :
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Edison Machado (faixas: 1, 5), Jack DeJohnette (faixas: 2 to 4)
Guitar – Amaury Tristao (faixas: 1, 5)
Percussion – Nana Vasconcelos (faixas: 1, 5)
Piano – Aloisio Aguiar (faixas: 1, 5), Kenny Barron (faixas: 2 to 4)
Recorded By, Mixed By – Rudy Van Gelder
Soloist, Piano – Kenny Barron (faixas: 1, 5)
Trumpet – Chet Baker

GATO BARBIERI - Fenix (1971-1996) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Some artists totally change directions; some reinvent their personalities. It is hard to know exactly what to make of the case of this Argentinian tenor saxophonist, who first appeared as a sideman on several extremely important Don Cherry projects, making such an essential contribution to the overall feel of these records that listeners expected great things. After a few attempts at finding a meeting place between the energy and harshness of free jazz and the his own rhythmic roots, he created this album in which everything seemed to come together perfectly. If a judgement is to be made based on Barbieri's overall career, then a lot of credit would be given to his accompanying musicians here, who are strictly the cream of the crop. A horn player certainly couldn't complain about a rhythm section featuring bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lenny White, and pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, the last fresh out of the band of Pharoah Sanders, where he had established himself as the absolute king of modal, vaguely Latin or African sounding vamps. Smith was able to fit right in here, and he of course knew just what to do when the saxophonist went into his screaming fits, because he surely had plenty of practice with this kind of stuff playing with Sanders. The leader adds a nice touch of ethnic percussion with some congas and bongos and Na Na on berimbau; in fact, this was the first time many American listeners heard this instrument. From here, Barbieri continued to build, reaching a height with a series of collaborations with Latin American musicians playing traditional instruments. He would then switch gears, tone down the energy, and become kind of a romantic image with a saxophone in his mouth, producing music that brought on insults from reviewers, many of whom would have bit their tongues if they'd known much worse sax playing was to come via later artists such as Kenny G. But at this point in 1971, well before the Muppets would create a caricature out of him, Barbieri was absolutely smoking, and for a certain style of rhythmic free jazz, this is a captivating album indeed.  by Eugene Chadbourne 
Tracklist :
1 Tupac Amaru 4:14
Gato Barbieri 
2 Carnavalito 9:08
Gato Barbieri 
3 Falsa Bahiana 5:50
Geraldo Pereira 
4 El Dia Que Me Quieras 6:12
Carlos Gardel / Alfredo Le Pera 
5 El Arriero 7:22
Atahualpa Yupanqui 
6 Bahia 6:22
Ary Barroso 
Credits :
Berimbau, Congas – Naná Vasconcelos
Congas, Bongos – Gene Golden
Drums – Lenny White
Electric Bass – Ron Carter
Piano, Electric Piano – Lonnie Liston Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Gato Barbieri

GATO BARBIERI - El Pampero (1971-2002) RCA Victor Gold Series / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This record chronicles a flavorful and unforgettable night during a live show recorded in Montreux, Switzerland. Gato Barbieri leads his fantastic group of musical friends with hurricane-like flair on his tenor sax. At times surreal and mind-boggling, Barbieri shows just how far one can let the music go to break the borders of jazz, sending his music into fresh and uncharted territory. Barbieri's chops and melodic sweeps are daring and bold, while the back crew brings vitality and utter life to the music, from the record's beginning to its very end. Within the first tune, "El Pampero," Barbieri plays a home tone riff over and over, changing only the keys of the song, with improvisation in between that gets the audience into dancing. Lonnie Liston Smith plays with great sweeping ease on the piano, while percussionists Pretty Purdie, Na-Na, and Sonny Morgan send their rhythms into soaring heights. A wondrous sense of dynamics is displayed here and throughout the record. The call and response between Na-Na and Morgan is a featured key ingredient, keeping the mood of the percussion section fluid and tight. Yes, the listeners were mesmerized, and one can feel lifted in spirit again with each playing of this recording. Perhaps the focus and direction of the music, which latched on greatly to the home key and initial melody, gives the music a more solid foundation. This was certainly a special night in Switzerland, in which Barbieri proudly shared his music, credited in a natural more than economic fashion, breathing spirit into the audience rather than taking money. For this performance was priceless, a can't-miss that left audience members bedazzled, talking among themselves years later, saying, "Do you remember when?...I was there!" With passion and faith in music, this group of musicians thrived here in this recorded moment, to demonstrate art, haunting art, vivid imagination, and victory in art.
For real jazz fans, two words suffice for this recording: Get it. El Pampero is one of the greatest live jazz recordings ever made, a showcase for the soaring tenor saxophone of Gato Barbieri and a primer on what spontaneous jazz music can aspire to at its most passionate and joyous. The ensemble work by Gato's partners on this outing is superb. And after all these years, I still believe that the way Gato Barbieri weaves the hypnotic folk music of South America into the very North American textures of mainstream jazz points the way to the future for this still vibrant form of music. by Shawn M. Haney  
Tracklist :
1. El Pampero 13:44
Gato Barbieri
2. Mi Buenos Aires Querido 6:21
Carlos Gardel / Alfredo Le Pera
3. Brasil 9:36
Ary Barroso / Bob Russell
4. El Arriero 11:59
Atahualpa Yupanqui
- Bonus Tracks -
5. El Gato 12:25
Oliver Nelson
Credits :
Gato Barbieri (Tenor Saxophone)
Lonnie Liston Smith (Piano)
Chuck Rainey (Electric Bass)
Bernard Purdie (Drums)
Sonny Morgan (Conga)
Naná Vasconcelos (Percussion)

 

TRIO DA PAZ - Black Orpheus (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

No discussion of the history of Brazilian music is complete without mentioning the 1959 Brazilian film Black Orpheus, which brought attention to the music of Brazilian composers Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá and popularized the Bonfá classics "Manha de Carnaval" and "Samba de Orfeo." The Black Orpheus soundtrack was a major source of inspiration for Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd. and other key figures in the bossa nova explosion of the early to mid-'60s, and it's also Brazilian group Trio da Paz's primary inspiration on this jazz-oriented release, which flutist Herbie Mann produced for his Kokopelli label. Consisting of guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Dudaka da Fonseca, Paz favors what could be called Brazilian hard bop. Though the Brazilians are quite melodic, they favor a much more intense and hard-swinging approach to the samba, and to Bonfá and Jobim's gems than Getz did in the early to mid-'60s. Subtlety and restraint characterized Getz's bossa nova, but Trio da Paz is passionately aggressive on this excellent CD. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1    A Felicidade 0:58
Lyrics By – Vinicius De Moraes
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
2    Frevo 5:11    
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3    A Felicidade 7:49
Lyrics By – Vinicius De Moraes
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
4    Manha de Carnaval 4:20
Luiz Bonfá
5    O Nosso Amor 4:02
Antônio Carlos Jobim
6    Chão de Estrelas 7:38
Orestes Barbosa / Silvio Caldas
7    Samba de Orfeu 5:27    
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Maria
8    Doña María 3:43
Duduka Da Fonseca
9    A Felicidade (vocal) 1:58
Lyrics By – Vinicius De Moraes
Written-By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
10    Manha de Carnaval 4:22
Luiz Bonfá
11    Namacumba 1:52
Naná Vasconcelos
12    Hugs & Kisses 4:20
Nilson Matta
13    Samba de Orfeo 2:41
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Maria
Credits:
Bass – Nilson Matta
Drums, Percussion – Duduka Da Fonseca
Flute – Herbie Mann
Guitar – Romero Lubambo
Percussion – Cyro Baptista, Jorge Silva, Naná Vasconcelos
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Claudio Roditi
Vocals – Alana Da Fonseca, Geoff Mann, Maucha Adnet

DON CHERRY / NANÁ VASCONCELOS / COLLIN WALCOTT - The Codona Trilogy (2008) ECM 2033_35 / 3CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 In 2008 ECM Records began an ambitious and handsome reissue project that brought many catalog titles back into print, in handsome gatefold cardboard digipacks with original artwork, and sold them for budget prices. In 2009 ECM jumped into the game of reissuing catalog titles en masse with budget multiple-disc box sets. Among the first of these are the three mysterious albums by the all-acoustic trio Codona, whose members were multi-instrumentalists Collin Walcott, Don Cherry, and Naná Vasconcelos. Codona are not often spoken of for their groundbreaking approach in melding world folk traditions to improvisation and jazz, but the truth is, they were at the very forefront. They used world music traditions authentically -- in the sense that each individual in the group had decades of study and immersion already under his belt before coming to the group -- without attempting to water anything down to make it fit. Codona were about listening and flow, and these three CDs are a monumental testament to that. Silence (not the new age artificial kind, but the true musical kind), space, interplay, compositional and improvisational discipline, and a sense of humor and playfulness mark these recordings as indispensable parts of the ECM catalog, and as important additions to each musician's résumé. The truth of the matter, whether they were playing two Ornette Coleman tunes bridged by one by Stevie Wonder as in "Colemanwonder" on their debut, African traditional music as in "Godumaduma" on Codona, Vol. 2, or an original tune such as "Hey Da Ba Doom" by Walcott on Codona, Vol. 3, the same elements were always applied, and always put to rather astonishingly adventurous use. No one composition sounds like another and no group of elements, regardless of how dissimilar -- from sitar, tabla, sanza, and hammered dulcimer; to berimbau, cuica, and talking drum; to trumpet, doussn'gouni, flutes, and melodica; to voices -- ever sounds out of place or strange no matter how exotic the setting. Codona were the sound of nature unveiled, of music engaged with the universe, of the genuine expertise and good will of a group of master musicians in dialogue with one another. This is remarkable music, and these recordings endure as well as still point the way to what is possible when players check their egos at the door in service of music itself. by Thom Jurek   

 Pure wizardry. The art of the improvisers beyond all borders. Preaching equality for all the idioms, anticipating the gathering wave of “world music”, drawing on traditions from all the continents, Codona was like no other band. Its sound: simultaneously poetic and powerfully evocative and stamped, in every second, with character. Summoned into being by Collin Walcott in 1978, the trio provided an utterly original context for Don Cherry’s starkly melodic trumpet and for the multi-instrumentalism of all three players. This 3-CD box incorporates the albums “Codona” (recorded 1978), “Codona 2” (1980) and “Codona 3” (1982). Excerpt from ECM's Website :

Codona (1978)

1. Like That Of Sky (11:10)
2. Codona (6:16)
3. Colemanwonder, Race Face, Sortie, Sir Duke (3:44)
4. Mumakata (8:18)
5. New Light (13:22)

Codona 2 (1980)

1. Que Faser (7:11)
2. Godumaduma (1:58)
3. Malinye (12:43)
4. Drip-Dry (7:03)
5. Walking on Eggs (3:04)
6. Again and Again, Again (7:32)

Codona 3 (1983)

1. Goshakabuchi (10:55)
2. Hey Da Ba Doom (7:13)
3. Travel By Night (5:55)
4. Lullaby (3:34)
5.Trayra Boia (5:19)
6. Clicky Clacky (4:10)
7. Inner Organs (9:17)

Personnel: 
Don Cherry: trumpet, doussn’gouni, flutes, organ, melodica, voice
Nana Vasconcelos: berimbau, cuica, talking drum, percussion, voice
Collin Walcott: sitar, tabla, hammered dulcimer, sanza, timpani, voice

JAN GARBAREK - Legend of the Seven Dreams (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Though in step with its time, this release suffers from excessive reliance on ambient synthesizers, which litter much of the recording, rendering it only slightly more interesting than many of the Windham Hill new age recordings of the same era. Unfortunate, because the disc opens with strength and gradually peters out by the end. The disc opens with "He Came From the North," which features a melody based on a traditional Lapp joik from the artist's native Norway and progresses into a longer section with an interplay that is both sparse and rhythmic. The sax line here is astonishingly beautiful. The second piece, "Alchuri, the Song Man," a sax and percussion piece, is energetic and lively as well. And from here the energy gradually diminishes. Much can be attributed to popular styles of the time, but this release simply does not stand up to other music of its genre that came later. by Mark Allender
Tracklist:
1    He Comes From The North 13:34
Keyboards – Brüninghaus
Percussion, Voice – Vasconcelos
Soprano Saxophone – Garbarek
2    Aichuri, The Song Man 5:03
Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Garbarek
3    Tongue Of Secrets 8:07
Bass – Weber
Flute – Garbarek
Keyboards – Brüninghaus
Percussion – Vasconcelos
4    Brother Wind 8:03
Keyboards – Brüninghaus
Percussion – Vasconcelos
Soprano Saxophone – Garbarek
5    It's Name Is Secret Road 1:43
Flute – Garbarek
6    Send Word 7:12
Bass – Weber
Keyboards – Brüninghaus
Percussion – Vasconcelos
Soprano Saxophone – Garbarek
7    Voy Cantando 6:48
Keyboards – Brüninghaus
Percussion – Vasconcelos
Tenor Saxophone – Garbarek
8    Mirror Stone I 1:11
Soprano Saxophone – Garbarek
9    Mirror Stone II 2:29
Soprano Saxophone – Garbarek
Credits:
Composed By [Compositions By] – Jan Garbarek
Design – Barbara Wojirsch
Musician – Eberhard Weber, Jan Garbarek, Naná Vasconcelos, Rainer Brüninghaus

 

JAN GARBAREK - I Took Up the Runes (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A more eclectic release than his preceding releases, Jan Garbarek's I Took Up the Runes satisfies listeners who had been more or less impatient for something with some meat and some muscle. Opening with a jazzy cover of Mari Persen's "Gula Gula," made fuller with bass guitar accompaniment that modifies the chord structure of the whole tune, the album next features the five-part "Molde Canticle," which spans from a dreamy esoteric sound to African folk music. Garbarek really wails in places, and it is a welcome surprise -- he should wail more than he does. Synthesizer sounds are starting to become less prominent as well. There is excellent piano work by Rainer Brüninghaus and excellent vocalizing by guest artist Ingor Ántte Áilu Gaup. A sign of good things to come. by Mark Allender
Tracklist:
1    Gula Gula 5:55
Arranged By – Jan Garbarek
Composed By – Mari Boine Persen
Molde Canticle 6:04
2    Part 1    5:13
3    Part 2    5:43
4    Part 3    9:54
5    Part 4    5:10
6    Part 5    6:06
Composed By – Jan Garbarek
7    His Eyes Were Suns
Composed By – Jan Garbarek
Composed By [Áilu Gaup Joiking "Biera, Biera"] – Traditional
8    I Took Up The Runes 5:24
Composed By – Jan Garbarek
9    Buena Hora, Buenos Vientos 8:51
Composed By – Jan Garbarek
10    Rahkki Sruvvis 2:26
Arranged By – Jan Garbarek
Composed By – Ingor Ántte Áilu Gaup
Credits:
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Design [Cover Design] – Barbara Wojirsch
Drums – Manu Katché
Percussion – Naná Vasconcelos
Piano – Rainer Brüninghaus
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Synthesizer – Bugge Wesseltoft
Voice – Ingor Ántte Áilu Gaup

CODONA - Codona (1979) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Their definitive debut. Walcot adds dulcimer and sanza, Nana Berimbau and cuica, Cherry on ethnic flutes. Side two is solid with Walcott's chant-like "Mumakata" and "New Light". Side one has an Ornette Coleman/Stevie Wonder medley. These three communicate. by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist:
1 Like That Of Sky 11:07
Composed By – Walcott
2 Codona 6:14
Composed By – Walcott, Cherry, Vasconcelos
Colemanwonder (3:40)
3a Race Face
Composed By – Ornette Coleman
3b Sortie
Composed By – Ornette Coleman
3c Sir Duke
Composed By – Stevie Wonder
4 Mumakata 8:14
Composed By – Walcott
5 New Light 13:22
Composed By – Walcott
Credits:
Berimbau, Cuica, Percussion, Voice – Nana Vasconcelos
Trumpet, Flute, Lute [Doussn'gouni], Voice – Don Cherry
Design, Photography [Cover] – Frieder Grindler
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sitar, Tabla, Dulcimer [Hammered], Mbira [Sanza], Voice – Collin Walcott

CODONA - Codona 2 (1981) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Walcott adds tympani, cherry melodica, Nana talking-drum. More Coleman and Walcott compositions, a traditional African piece "Godumaduma", and Cherry's vital "Malinye." Absolutely uplifting. by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist:
1 Que Faser 7:07
Written-By – Nana Vasconcelos
2 Godumaduma 1:54
Traditional
3 Malinye 12:39
Written-By – Don Cherry
4 Drip-Dry 6:59
Written-By – Ornette Coleman
5 Walking On Eggs 3:00
Written-By – Collin Walcott
6 Again And Again, Again 7:32
Written-By – Collin Walcott
Credits:
Berimbau, Talking Drum, Percussion, Voice – Nana Vasconcelos
Design – Barbara Wojirsch
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sitar, Tabla, Timpani, Voice, Mbira [Sanza] – Collin Walcott
Trumpet, Melodica, Voice, Ngoni [Doussoun'Gouni] – Don Cherry

CODONA - Codona 3 (1983) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The third Codona album is a sublimely beautiful release. The silent stillness of the exquisite opening to "Goshakabuchi" gives way to seemingly not much more than wisps of vibration in the air, but then Don Cherry's trumpet enters in full cry and Collin Walcott's dulcimer and other stringed things lead into a bracing and exciting section driven by Nana Vasconcelos' various percussive devices. The whole record is kind of like King Crimson's Larks' Tongues in Aspic without the wattage and with a little more introspection, and is a joyously stunning last testament for Walcott, who died not long after these recordings were completed. by Bruce Eder
Tracklist:
1 Goshakabuchi  10:53
Arranged By – Codona
Composed By [Japanese] – Traditional
2 Hey Da Ba Boom 7:11
Written-By – Walcott
3 Travel By Night 5:47
Written-By – Walcott
4 Lullaby 3:32
Written-By – Walcott
5 Trayra Boia 5:17
Composed By – Denise Milan, Vasconcelos
6 Clicky Clacky 4:07
Written-By – Cherry
7 Inner Organs 9:17
Written-By – Cherry
Credits:

Berimbau, Percussion, Voice – Nana Vasconcelos

Cover – Moki Cherry
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Sitar, Mbira [Sanza], Dulcimer [Hammered], Tabla, Voice – Collin Walcott
Trumpet, Organ, Guitar [Doussn'gouni], Voice – Don Cherry