November 1, 2009

Mario Adnet and Philippe Baden Powell: Afro Samba Jazz: The Music of Baden Powell
Adventure Music AM 1059 2
Format: CD

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Overall Enjoyment

Baden Powell de Aquino, better known in Brazil as Baden Powell, was his country’s most revered guitarist and a composer of the first rank. The booklet that accompanies Afro Samba Jazz includes a photo taken in 2000 of Baden Powell and one of Brazil’s current guitar masters, Mario Adnet. Philippe Baden Powell, the composer’s son, chose Adnet for this homage to his father because of the friendship between the two guitarists and their mutual admiration. Philippe produced the disc, arranged seven of the 14 tracks, and plays piano on five. Adnet wrote the arrangements and plays guitar on the remaining tracks. Some pieces were arranged for relatively small groups of seven pieces, others for as many as 12 instruments plus singers. The results are, without exception, gorgeous, with an undercurrent of subtle passion. It’s the unexpected details that grab you, such as Cristiano Alves’ bass clarinet in "Nhem Nhem Nhem," or Marcos Nimrichter’s accordion in "Caxangá de Oxalá." Large-band jazz, Brazilian folk music, and chamber music sit comfortably beside each other on Afro Samba Jazz. The disc may seem a bit reserved at first, but by the third track you won’t be able to pull away. And it’s stunningly recorded, with instrumental textures clearly rendered even in the larger ensembles. . . . Joseph Taylor

Barbra Streisand: Love Is the Answer: Deluxe Edition
Columbia 43354
Format: CD

Musical Performance
Sound Quality
Overall Enjoyment

Barbra Streisand keeps going when others her age have retired because she can -- there’s little on this cushy album to betray that she’s now 67. What you hear is a much younger voice -- certainly more mature than that heard in Funny Girl over 40 years ago, but still smooth and rich -- "like buttah," they sometimes say -- and most of the time in complete control. This album was a meeting of the minds of Streisand and producer Diana Krall, who has sung her own share of jazzy ballads. There’s the feel of a smoky late-night jazz club in many of the tracks, and there are good jazz sidemen all along the way. The repertory draws almost entirely from the Great American Songbook: "Here’s to Life," "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Some Other Time," and ten others. Through them all, Streisand nails the lyrics; you’ll hear these songs with more meaning than most singers have put into them. The one big flaw of the set is that all of it is downtempo; it would have been a good idea to include a few upbeat songs for balance. The Deluxe Edition comprises two discs, the first with orchestral backing, the second with the same songs supported by only a jazz quartet. Each reveals different aspects of Streisand’s singing, and disc 2 makes me wish she’d recorded more intimate jazz throughout her career. The sound is exemplary for lushness with detail, the carpet of strings on disc 1 being clearly rippled by expressive riffs from the piano, drums, and other instruments. The quartet disc sounds very natural and clear as far as the instruments go, but the voice sounds as if it was recorded in an isolation booth and mixed in -- as indeed it was. . . . Rad Bennett

Mark Knopfler: Get Lucky
Reprise 520206-02
Format: CD

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Mark Knopfler’s consistency has perhaps been a curse. He rarely seems to get the kind of attention he deserves, although last year’s Kill to Get Crimson was the subject of warm reviews and a feature article in Rolling Stone. Knopfler is a confident and engaging songwriter and a guitarist of seemingly effortless virtuosity. On Get Lucky, his sixth solo disc (not counting soundtracks), he once again delivers a collection of literate, personal songs. "Border Reiver" is about the hard lives of the lorry drivers Knopfler remembers from his youth. "Piper to the End" is dedicated to his uncle, a piper who died in World War II. Celtic music, blues, and rock’n’roll mingle in Knopfler’s songs, creating his own brand of soul music. Musicians who have played with him on all his solo albums, including Guy Fletcher and Glenn Worf, accompany him here with an ease and a level of communication that come from years of playing together. As always, Knopfler’s guitar playing is clean, melodic, and deeply felt. He recorded Get Lucky at his own studio, British Grove, and the sound has a warm analog glow, with Knopfler’s voice beautifully focused at the center. . . . Joseph Taylor

Paul O’Brien: Walk Back Home
Stockfisch SFR 357-4064-2
Format: SACD/CD

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Overall Enjoyment

Until he was 38, singer-songwriter Paul O’Brien (not to be confused with the Australian actor) made a living as a musician in the UK, then moved to the west coast of Canada to work on solo albums featuring his own material. This is the latest, recorded in Germany by producer-engineer Günter Pauler, who has been widely hailed for his work in the acoustic music genre. This two-channel SACD/CD seems a marriage made in heaven, the sound matching the intimate quality of the performances hand in glove. O’Brien’s songs and singing are comfortable and appealing. He doesn’t tackle confrontational issues; rather, he puts into melody and verse thoughts about life that most of us have had at one time or another. In "Walk Back Home," he sings about parenthood:

And I must let you be
who you’re going to be
and I’ll teach you to fly as high as you please
and if you fall
walk back home

O’Brien’s warm baritone is backed by his own guitar, as well as dobro, piano, accordion, cello, Hammond organ, upright bass, and other colorful instruments, all bathed in the aural sunshine of this recording’s warm, resonant sound. If you’ve spent a lot of money on a fine sound system, this disc will show you how it can sound best in quieter moments. . . . Rad Bennett

Buddy Guy: The Blues Giant
Pure Pleasure PPAN 010
Format: LP

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Many musicians who have had long careers, especially in jazz and blues, at times seem to have fallen off the map, only to reappear as if out of nowhere. Blues legend Buddy Guy had this experience. In the 1970s he disbanded his longtime partnership with Junior Wells and went out on his own, but the move didn’t provide him with the stable career he sought. On a trip to France in 1979 he was asked by a fledgling label to record an album of tunes he simply wanted to play. In a single day, Guy and his new band -- Phil Guy on rhythm guitar, J. Williams on bass, and Ray Allison on drums -- laid down all six tracks of The Blues Giant. From the searing guitar on track 1, "I Smell a Rat," pure unadulterated, electric blues pours forth from this record. And though some critics panned the album 30 years ago, it relaunched Guy’s career. The sound on this reissue LP is far better than might have been expected, given its humble origins. Guy’s searing guitar has a singular sense of sonic realism, and his voice is raw and pure. The bass is a bit indistinct, but the drums sound lively. All in all, this LP is a treat for blues lovers everywhere. . . . John Crossett