Bossa nova for the 21st century, played by an acoutic jazz quintet with sultry vocals; fresh, original arrangements of standards by Jobim, Valle, Veloso, and others

12 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Bossa Nova, LATIN: MPB



Details:
Since their debut in 2003, Com Você has been revisiting the classics of Brazilian music and offering them in fresh, new perspective. The group is led by Polish-born vocalist and arranger Maggie Grebowicz and Texan-born saxophonist Stan Killian. From the bossa nova onwards, they arrange well-known repertoire for the acoustic jazz quintet format. The singer switches freely between Portuguese, Polish, Spanish, English, and word-less vocal, and arrangements feature rich sax-vocal interaction and a variety of complex rhythmic patterns. The group also revisits compositions by American jazz artists whose work engages Brazilian traditions, like Wayne Shorter, Pat Metheny, and Jack DeJohnette. Peter Westbrook writes in jazzreview.com: âOverall it is remarkable how these seemingly diverse elements fit togetherâ¦. It all works, as the singer bends each piece to her unique styling, hands it off to the various soloists, and then reclaims it for a final renderingâ¦. For lovers of both jazz and Brazilian music, this is something fresh that deserves a hearing.â

"Candeias" is their long-awaited first CD. Eddy Hobizal, who here plays Fender Rhodes, won third place in the International Theolonious Monk Jazz Competition in 1989. Andy Langham (piano) and Hamilton Price (bass) have performed with jazz greats Tom Harrell, Sam Rivers, Mike Stern, Dewey Redman, Randy Brecker, and Ravi Coltrane. Drummer Kyle Thompson has worked with the legendary arranger and producer Stephen Barber, both live and in the studio. Special guest Philippe Vieux, who here plays baritone saxophone and flute, has worked with Cedar Walton, Horace Silver, Tito Puente and appears on recordings by Latin jazz legends Eddie Palmieri and Patato Valdez. The CD consists of new arrangements of Brazilian classics by Jobim, Edu Lobo, Caetano Veloso, Marcos Valle, Roberto Menescal, George Gershwin, and Pat Metheny.

The review in French magazine Openmag reads:
"The sweetness of her voice is so soothing that the singer Maggie Grebowicz could calm a storm over Rio Bay. Adding to the seduction of this new-style bossa nova is the virtuosic accompaniment of such talented saxophonists as Stan Killian on tenor and Philippe Vieux on baritone. Another innovation: two keyboards provide a colorful harmonic foundation (Andy Langham and Eddy Hobizal on Fender Rhodes). Com Você superbly enriches the classics of Jobim and of Caetano Veloso. They also brilliantly revisit Gershwin's 'S'Wonderful.' Exquisite and promising."