One of the best celebrations commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bossa Nova was on June 4, 2008 when the Hollywood Bowl hosted a concert that included Oscar Castro-Neves, Maria Rita, Ivan Lins and Luciana Souza, along with special guest Kenny Rankin and the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra.

These concert revelries will continue through early July 2009, but it would be hard to top the one that took place March 1, 2008 on Rio de Janeiro’s Ipanema Beach. The 80,000 fans in attendance for the free concert saw an an assortment of 18 artists perform their own tributes to the music that became a worldwide phenomenon, not too long after João Gilberto recorded “Chega de Saudade” in 1958.

Castro-Neves, one of the event’s chief organizers and a guitarist who performed on many of the  Bossa Nova’s classic recordings, said he was surprised by the relative youth of the crowd. “I was expecting more people my age,” said Castro-Neves. “But, in reality, so many young people came. There is a rediscovery of the music.”

Many of them apparently came to see Rita, the daughter of the legendary Elis Regina and a rising superstar in Brazil. One of the highlights of the evening saw Rita sing the Antonio Carlos Jobim Bosa Nova standard, “Corcovado,” for the the first time.

“For me, it was a very good party,” Castro-Neves said. “If you see the photos, the smiling faces showed that everybody was there because they wanted to be there.”

Cooperation wasn’t only taking place on the human level. On the morning of the concert, Castro-Neves and other Cariocas awoke to a torrential downpour after a week’s worth of sunny weather. But by the time the three-hour concert got underway at 7 p.m.,  the skies were completely clear. At 10:30, just a short while after the last artist had left the stage, heavy rain began to pour again. Said Castro–Neves: “People were saying ‘God not only loves Rio de Janeiro, but he loves Bossa Nova.”

Recently interviewed by the Hollywood Reporter, legendary producer Quincy Jones talked about how his 1956 visit to Brazil, where he met João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Astrud Gilberto. Six years later, he released a Bossa Nova album that included the track “Soul Bossa Nova” – better known to many as the theme from the “Austin Powers” movies.

“That’s heavy,” Jones said of the revival of his tune, which has also been covered by the rapper Ludacris. “You don’t know what’s going to happen, but you just let it happen. It’s out of your hands. You just let the music live on.”

As a producer, Quincy also lent his magic touch to one of our favorite Milton Nascimento CDs: 1988’s ‘Yauarete’. He also brought two Ivan Lins tunes (‘Love Dance’ and ‘Dinorah Dinorah’) to George Benson’s Grammy-winning ‘Give Me The Night’ album and tapped yet another Lins song for a ‘Best Instrumental’ Grammy win with ‘Velas’.

Astrud takes center stage on The Sounds of Brazil this week (and all next week on our 24/7 webcast channels at Connectbrazil.com) and I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at a few of her best albums this week.

Astrud’s ascendancy to Bossa stardom began with the Getz/Gilberto recording sessions in 1963, when circumstances (along with some gentle ‘insistence’

Astrud Gilberto

 from Stan Getz) led to her recording debut: singing in English on ‘Corcovado’ and ‘The Girl From Ipanema’. A legendary album was the result, but Astrud’s contribution created a problem for producer Creed Taylor: Was ‘Getz/Gilberto’ a jazz recording or a pop record?

The finished project sat on a corner of Taylor’s desk for nearly a year as he wrestled with the decision. When it was finally released in 1964, the album bulleted to the top of the Billboard hot 100 chart and remained there for 96 weeks – the only album to hold off the Beatles (for a time) as pop music underwent its sea change.

Initially, Bossa’s success here in the US rode on the tandem talents of Astrud and Taylor and with his direction the Brazilian singer racked up a string of pop recordings – five albums in less than three years.

As the 60’s drew to a close, Gilberto struggled to keep pace with the changing musical landscape and by 1970 her ties to the Bossa Nova sound that she helped to make famous were nearly severed. Only 1971’s reunion with Creed Taylor on ‘Astrud Gilberto With Stanley Turrentine’ is a worthy highlight.

When the Beatles released their final album ’Let It Be’ in May 1970 it signaled the beginning of another new direction for pop music, just as their ‘Please Please Me’ had done eight successful years before. For Astrud Gilberto, it was the final turn of the page which saw her place under the musical sun consistently eroded by the onslaught of rock and top 40 groups. And where Brazil had been a major importer of musical talent in the early 60’s, record companies now looked to England for the international push that would drive air play and chart success.

With Astrud, it was clearly a case of being in the right place at the wrong time and she parted company with Verve Records (and briefly, also with her mentoring producer Creed Taylor) at the beginning of the new decade after a series of pop-oriented releases (including 1969’s ‘I Haven’t Got Anything Better to Do’) fell short of expectations.

But things were falling into place for Astrud even as pop music’s currents swirled around her.

11 years into his own career, tenor sax giant Stanley Turrentine was looking for a change of musical scenery and he signed with Taylor’s new contemporary jazz label, CTI, joining label mates, George Benson, Paul Desmond, Freddie Hubbard, Quincy Jones, Grover Washington, Jr. and Wes Montgomery to name but a few of the jazz stars associated with the label.

Brazil had its share of talented acts on the CTI brand, too including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Tamba 4, Milton Nascimento and keyboardist Eumir Deodato, who also acted as the de facto in-house arranger for the label.

While we’re not sure how the deal for this album came together, the result found Astrud and Deodato in an Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey recording studio in mid-January 1971 to begin the sessions that would result in one of the most noteworthy – and remarkably listenable – recordings of her long career. Turrentine would join them for four of the songs in a single spring session.

Taylor produced the recording and together with Deodato’s involvement took Astrud to a jazzier groove in a complete contrast to her earlier Bossa sound. The jazz combo textures are broader here, allowing her whispery vocals to be surrounded by a more urgent rhythm section without being overwhelmed. That delicate balance stayed with the string section, too. There’s lots of energy on this CD, and while Deodato’s keyboards and Stanley Turrentine’s lyrical sax anchor this album’s unique style, Astrud is surrounded by many of the top up-and-coming jazz musicians of the day including flutist Hubert Laws, Ron Carter’s bass, and reedman Jerome Richardson. Toots Thielemans also makes an appearance as a guest ‘whistler’ and with his harmonica.

There’s a solid group of great Brazilian rhythm-makers, too: Airto, João Palma and Weather Report’s Dom Um Romão share the percussion and drumming duties along with Sivuca’s guitar.

Two instrumentals provide yet another layer of contrast. Stephen Stills ‘To A Flame’ is an unlikely choice for a Brazilian re-do, but it allows Deodato to show off his arranging skills, giving us a peek at the scope of influence that is reflected his work with Frank Sinatra (‘Sinatra & Company’), and then years later with Kool & The Gang. Turrentine brings his smoky, rhythm & soul sound to Milton Nascimento’ s ‘Vera Cruz’ and Deodato’s confidence in the tenor sax player’s musicianship is so high that the melody is completely set aside to give Turrentine’s insistent, flowing solo lines plenty of room. It’s clear that Turrentine is comfortable in this setting; that same style graces Astrud’s affectionate turn on ‘Brazilian Tapestry’ (adapted from Ze do Norte’s ‘Mulher Rendeira’) and again on ‘Ponteio’ and Jorge Ben’s ‘Zazueira’.

That’s pretty much where most reviews of this album end, but there’s a lot more of this story to tell.

The first song of the initial session (‘Historia de Amor’ – ‘Love Story’) found Astrud singing not in English or in Portuguese, but in Spanish. Astrud then overdubbed the song in English before recording two more songs that day – her self-penned ‘Just Be You’ and Burt Bacharach’s ‘Where There’s A Heartache (There Must Be A Heart)’ – the only one of these four to make the final cut for the original release.

Is this a perfect album? No, not quite. We like the fuller sound that the impossible-to-find vinyl LP gave us and at times Astrud’s voice sounds lacking in the confidence she showed in her heyday 60’s. And no one recorded ‘Love Story’ because it was a great song. But her undeniable charm and knowing innocence is abundant throughout, and when combined with Deodato’s ‘Midas touch’ arranging and Stanley Turrentine’s sultry tenor play, this CD is a five-star winner and one of the few bright spots in the 15-year run up to her final great recording with one of Europe’s most celebrated orchestras.

In 1986 Gilberto teamed up with James Last to give us the last of her definitive recordings (to date). As co-producer, it’s obvious that she gleaned a bit of Creed Taylor’s magic to make it all come together. James Last and his orchestra were on an unprecedented roll, particularly in England, where between 1967 and 1986 Last was the 2nd most selling performer in terms of the number of charting records – just behind Elvis Presley.

Antonio Carlos Jobim’s son Paulo joined Astrud’s group, bringing his guitar, vocal and songwriting skills with him. One of these songs – ‘Samba do Soho’ – was newly written for his father’s upcoming ‘Passarim’ album, but its debut was given to Astrud. There’s another debut for Astrud here: that of ‘songwriter’ on ‘Champagne and Caviar’ (a true Bossa with a modern flair) and ‘Amor E Som’ – a smooth and brassy jewel delivered with surprising authority by Gilberto.

There’s more: Astrud’s English lyrics for ‘I’m Nothing Without You’ (English title) realizes the full potential of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘Eu Não Existo Sem Você’ which was originally written as a samba-canção (love ballad) in 1954. Duke Ellington’s ‘Caravan’ sports a new sound and her duets with Ron Last on ‘Listen To Your Heart’ and ‘When They Turn Out The Lights’ are simply refreshing. James Last’s arrangements play a big part in the success of this album – it’s a perfect match.

Recorded partially in Germany and south Florida, the ‘Plus’ album came along after a ten year hiatus for the singer; long enough to qualify as a ‘comeback’ recording. Some of these succeed, most do not, but it’s clear that Astrud was ready for the opportunity and to say that all of the elements for this album combined to rise to the occasion would be a monumental understatement.

Twenty years on, ‘Plus’ shows no sign of aging. Its as graceful and poignant as those first few words ever recorded by Astrud – way backing 1963 – on a wintry afternoon in New York city: “Tall and tan and young and lovely…”  

Interestingly, there’s another Astrud album with a German connection, and it, too, has earned its place on my ‘Astrud Essentials’ list.

Originally compiled and released in Germany, this collection is a testament to the pop prowess of Astrud Gilberto, circa 1960’s, and that’s saying a lot, considering the absolute glut of ‘Astrud this’ and ‘Astrud that’ retrospectives which have flooded the marketplace in the past decade.

These 20 songs capture Astrud at her prime – the way we best remember her – and the hits (mostly guided by producer Creed Taylor) just keep coming in this hour-long and superbly ordered album. Most of the songs are gleaned from 1965’s ‘The Astrud Gilberto Album’, along with a sprinkling of singles lifted from various recordings through 1970. And although her most famous song ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ is nowhere to be found in this collection, chances are that you won’t miss it.

In fact, that’s the genius of this compilation: it paints a picture of Astrud beyond ‘the girl’ to highlight her indelible style as a ‘slightly out-of-tune’ chanteuse. With no formal training to speak of, Astrud’s first recording was the impromptu session of ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ with Stan Getz in 1963. It was her performance that initially held up the release of the ‘Getz/Gilberto’ album (for about a year) while Taylor wrestled with the decision to release the record as jazz title or as a pop entry. It ended up being both, launching her career as ‘The Girl’ on stage, studio and movies, too.

Astrud’s natural charm reflected the innocence of the day, and that uncomplicated sense of life and love is forever captured here. To my way of thinking, these songs are more important to our daily lives – with all of its stress and demands – than ever. That’s why this was the first CD I ever purchased.

A year before I owned a CD player.

By the way, it seems that America’s ‘Girl from Ipanema’ may have something against Colonel Sanders. Astrud Gilberto, a PETA member and animal-rights activists, is lending her support to an effort aimed at stopping Kentucky Fried Chicken from opening more of its outlets in Brazil. Gilberto is the centerpiece of a new ad campaign from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which urges a nationwide boycott of the fast-food chain for the allegedly inhumane treatment of its chickens. Gilberto is donating a portion of the proceeds of her latest single, “Jungle,” to animal-related charities.

Tickets, Please

I promised to keep you posted on the ups and downs of my recent travels in Brazil, with the hope of saving you from some of the problems that can crop up when traveling on your own. As you may have read in the last issue of our Connectbrazil.com e-letter for 2007, getting to Brazil is only half the story: getting around the country these days can be a real challenge.

When it comes to airline ticketing, the digital age has come to Brazil, but some of the procedures still require a little ‘jeitinho’ – that’s Portuguese for a quick fix to a stubborn problem, and its a way of life in Brazil. But even a crafty jeitinho won’t cure Gol airline’s website woes when it comes to buying tickets for travel from Sao Paulo to Rio.

Gol is Brazil’s second largest airline, but you wouldn’t know it from a name search on Google: it took a link from Wikipedia’s entry on the airline to reach their web site. Then after ‘flying blind’ through their international sections, I arrived at a page in English which invited me to make my reservation and pay with my MasterCard.

“Great,” I thought as I quickly entered my flight and payment information and clicked on the ‘processing’ button. But wait – no confirmation. Calling their customer service line gave me the option of speaking to someone in English so I pressed ‘2’ on the phone pad and got a voice message telling me to check the website for more information. And then a dial tone.

A second call got me to a representative in Portuguese, who magically switched me over to an English-speaking agent who advised me that only American Express cards are a sure way to make it through the transaction process if you are using a credit card from a country other than Brazil. Only Visa and MasterCards registered with a special ‘security code’ program are accepted by Gol. I was told that very few US banks issue these cards, and no, it has nothing to do with that three-digit number on the back.

For $50 Brazilian dollars more, the agent said that he could hold a reservation for three days, giving me enough time to a) find someone with a Brazilian credit card to purchase the ticket for me, b) drive a few hours to pay for the ticket in cash, or c) locate a licensed travel agency nearby which may or may not charge me another additional fee for the service of doing nothing more than accepting my credit card.

Whatever you do, don’t wait until the day of departure to purchase your ticket at the airport. The prices are based on need and availability – just as they are in the US – and using a foreign card for payment will cost you even more.

On the plus side, Gol has done a good job at driving air fare costs down, and the prices are still a bargain with today’s exchange rate. But Brazil’s airlines are no very tourist friendly these days, and Gol’s web site should clearly state their credit card policies. And be prepared to pay extra for your luggage, as Gol allows only 50 pounds of baggage per person, charging tourists a hefty .5% of the ticket price per kilo over that limit.

Problems like these discourage travel to Brazil, especially when all US citizen’s are now required to carry valid Passports and Mexico’s beaches are nearby. I’m sad to say that I had this conversation with a high-ranking official inside of the tourism industry 12 months ago and it is sad to see that nothing has changed.

Antonio Carlos Jobim once famously said that “Brazil is not for beginners” and he was right. But that’s no reason to stay home and hopefully these tips will help you with your next – or first – trip to Brazil.

Scott Adams

(Originally published January 17 2008)

Looking out your seat-side window on the final approach to Sao Paulo, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the cityscape below is “done with mirrors.” After all, its home to more than 21 million Brazilians; is the 4th most populated city in the world and is the largest when it comes to total geographic area. The skyscrapers go on forever, farther than the eye can see.

And for every building, there’s at least one road – sometimes two or three – which connect, merge or end in a spaghetti bowl of uphill lanes, downhill curves and one-way streets that offer no ‘turn around’ options for miles and miles. Street names (when posted) change without notice, if they are long enough to even warrant a sign: many are only a few confusing blocks long.

Driving in any large city can be a challenge but Sao Paulo is in a class by itself. Most residents know how to get around their own immediate area – a 10-20 mile range. Even the cab drivers in the city center take longer-distance fares in only one direction after 2 pm, knowing that they probably won’t have time to return for additional fares.

So imagine my surprise when I was told that yes, Sao Paulo now has GPS available. Available but reliable? If you must drive in SP, better take a map just in case. Sao Paulo’s official road map is 11.5 x 8 inches in size and runs 730 pages. Boa Sorte (Good Luck)!

Scott Adams

TV Globo kept everyone waiting into the wee hours for their heavily promoted special on singer and songwriter Djavan, but it’s always worth the wait for a chance to hear the man who is arguably Brazil’s best when it comes to memorable tunes for the American ear.

The one-hour concert had a creative setting, with no less than three bands sharing sections of the circular stage at the center of a large studio audience. Djavan served up several of his best-loved songs, including ‘Acai’ (a personal favorite), while guest performers including Zizi Possi’s kid, Luiza and Katia B. covered several more. It was the first time I had seen Possi the younger in performance, and while she bears a remarkable resemblance to her famous mom in her appearance, she has a little way to go with her development as a top line singer. It wouldn’t be the first this has been written of a Brazilian star on the rise – the potential is there, but the jury is still out.

Djavan

Katia B. was surprisingly good and worthy of a second look – she carries a velvety voice and an interpretive style that added to the songs without drawing attention away from them and that’s one sign of a talented performer.

It’s always a pleasure to listen to Djavan sing and it’s even better when you can see him on stage. Simply put, his voice swings easy, like a jazz singer but with a uniquely Brazilian flair and his repertoire is truly amazing. Few songwriters have been able to impress me time after time with lasting melodies as has Djavan.

The credit roll showed that this concert was recorded last year, and its good to know that Djavan’s voice can still cut it, when so many of his contemporaries seem to be winding down with their careers. In fact, its been awhile since his last recording and as he doesn’t tour the US often, we can only hope that there’s more music to come from this special voice. What a treat!

Sandy & Jr., the brother and sister superstars will perform their final show as Brazil’s most successful duo next week in São Paulo. The December 18th show at Creditcard Hall caps a final grand tour following the announcement of their breakup earlier this year. Sandy Leah Lima (born January 28, 1983) and brother Durval de Lima Junior (born April 11, 1984) began their singing career as childhood sensations in 1991, and found an immediate audience singing children’s songs and country-influenced tracks. Their first single, “Maria Chiquinha”, remains as one of the most remembered songs in Brazil. How successful were they?

In their 17 years together, they have two albums among the 10 best-sellers ever in Brazil, a self-titled weekly television series which ran from 1999 to 2002 – even a movie (‘Acquaria’ in 2003). The duo announced on April 17th that an MTV Unplugged album to be recorded in May 2007 would be their final work together, through a video posted on their website addressed to their fans and in a press conference, stating also that their career as a duo would be over at the end of 2007. What’s next? Durval, now Junior Lima is giving rock a second look, while his sister, now Sandy Leah, already has a website in English and a hit ‘Love Never Fails’. I wouldn’t be surprised if she makes a US run soon – she has the talent and skills to do so. Now if she can find a label that would give her a competitive shot. Thanks to Wikipedia for providing some of the information presented here.

Scott Adams

(Originally published on  February 28, 2008)

My conversation with Sr. Paulo was happenstance; having caught him departing my hotel just as I was leaving for dinner with pianist Marcos Ariel at Ipanema’s Barril 1800, an open-air, beachside eatery with a reputation for cold beer, great meals and a good crowd. And a bit of history.

Apparently years before, this same address belonged to Jazzmania (in one of its several incarnations) and just like Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase in Chicago, the club had a legendary reputation. Pat Metheny played there, as did many top America jazz players – and most always the locals sat in. That’s when the magic would begin. Its where I heard Rio’s outstanding jazz group Cama de Gato on my first visit in 1987, at its old Arpoador location. And if I’m fuzzy on anything here, I’ll blame it on the caipirinhas.

Anyway, when conversation with Marcos turned back to ‘the good old days’, he casually mentioned that some thought was being given to restoring jazz to its original upstairs location above the restaurant, and I’m very happy to report that Mistura Fina now has a new home at Barril 1800. And you’ll find Marcos holding forth at the piano bar downstairs.

Planning a visit? The address is Av. Vieira Souto, 110 in Ipanema and not Av. Borges de Medeiros 3207 in Lagoa, which is still being shown on most travel sites, including Foders, and the usually reliable Frommers.

And added note: Marcos Ariel will perfrom at the Ford Theater in Los Angeles as part of ‘Brazilian Summer Festival 2009′ on June 19th. He’ll share the bill with singer Diogo Nogueira. Try this link for more inforamtion.

Scott Adams

(originally published January 10, 2008)

January is our time to ‘close shop’ for a couple of weeks as I head south to Brazil to meet with music labels and the musicians we’ll be featuring in 2008. With all the travel talk about passports, visas and air travel in Brazil, I thought I would keep you up-to-date with my experiences. It might help with your travel plans, too.

As you’ve heard, all U.S. citizens traveling abroad are now required to obtain and carry a valid passport and because mine had expired earlier this year, I’ve been able to experience the new policies regarding passport renewal firsthand. Ten years ago, the process required me to appear in person to present the required documentation, but today the U.S. Department of State uses the Internet and a secure website for that purpose and more. In fact, the site is very well thought out, getting you through the process with minimal fuss. The turnaround time is much better than it was earlier this year, but still too long for my itinerary.

So I turned to americanpassport.com to rush the process along. So far, they’re doing a great job. Their fees are reasonable, communication is professional and the attention to detail with the several people I’ve talked with has been excellent. They can turn around passport and visa applications in as little as 48 hours and they guarantee their work. A call this morning confirmed that my passport should be sent for Monday delivery later today.

Brazil requires a valid visa for visiting US citizens. Mine had been renewed a little more than a year ago and is good for five years from date of first use, so it presented a problem: What happens to my visa when I have to renew my passport? I sent an e-mail to the Brazilian Consulate in Chicago, and got a ‘same day’ response: I’ll carry my expired passport (containing the Brazilian visa stamp) with me and present both passports when required. Simple. But I still plan to stop by the Consulate next week, just to be sure.

For tickets we turned to the Brazilian American Cultural Center – BACC Travel – in New York as we do every year. They always have a good rate and are very creative with scheduling. This year presented a challenge because of Carnaval being so early – it kicks off on February 2nd – and finding round trip seats near our itinerary was next to impossible. The result is spending a few more days in the land of Samba and sun, which actually is no problem at all! BACC has decades of experience and a well deserved reputation as a top line agency. My itinerary was confirmed by e-mail in minutes, and the hard copy arrived in the mail a few days later.

Scott Adams

(Originally published January 3, 2008)

Those of you who have followed my radio show ‘The Sounds of Brazil’ week in and week out for these past 15 years know that there have been two constants: I’ve hosted each of the 811 consecutive programs and every one of them has begun with trumpeter Marcio Montarroyos and his singular

Marcio Montarroyos

 version of ‘Aquarela do Brasil’. On Tuesday, Marcio passed away from the onset of lung cancer, which was caught too late for treatment. He was 58.

Days before, his longtime friend Leo Gandelman called me to catch up, and he passed along his concerns for Marcio. It was difficult to accept. I knew

 Marcio as a man who truly enjoyed life; always quick with a smile and that spontaneous nature which so easily found its way into his music. Friendships came easily too, and although I cannot say that I knew him well, the letters and calls I’ve received from the many musicians and friends on both sides of the equator spoke of Marcio in special ways. Mike Catalano wrote: “He was the most absolute fun energetic guy you’d ever wanna know. Every time he did a show in Brazil, the TV news would come and shoot it. As an instrumentalist in a pop-driven country, that’s quite an accomplishment.”

Marcio began with the piano and the classical training typical for young Cariocas who were interested in music. By 20, he had found his music voice with the trumpet after hearing Dizzy Gillespie play. He won a scholarship to Boston’s Berklee School of Music in the early 70′s before returning home to Rio. He sat for an interview for a US record label a while back, and he had this to say:

“I keep my classical training. I love to play keyboard music, the old styles-all are beautiful. But the trumpet and the flügelhorn are my first loves. They are closely related to the body. You hold them, you blow through them, you bring the music from inside of your body out into the air. They are very physical instruments, very sensual, very personal and their sound always stays fresh, new and alive.”

In essence, that’s what he brought to every piece of music lucky enough to have his involvement. For me, a perfect example is his opening solo on ‘Cigano’ – so masterfully set, so perfectly developed that when Djavan finally begins to sing, the lyrics can do no more than reflect the trumpet’s muted emotion. That’s how I’ll remember Marcio – its just one of hundreds laid down on countless recordings with the best of Brazil’s musicians.

I once read that the definition of genius is when an artist can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Back in 1991 ‘The Sounds of Brazil’ was still in the planning stages, and finding the right theme to open the program was a crucial challenge: It had to be both familiar and unusual. It had to portray Brazil’s musical relationship with America and it had to make an immediate and lasting impression. Marcio’s ‘Terra Mater’ LP literally fell into my lap in a Rio record store and I was convinced after the first few minutes. Marcio had created something that perfectly matched what my mind could not put into words.

Today, my mind is telling me that Marcio Montarroyos is in a better place, freed from worry and pain. But my heart is having a tough time absorbing the loss.

- Scott Adams

(Originally published February 28, 2008)

When it comes to Brazil’s best instrumental performers, Trumpeter Marcio Montarroyos is always near the top of the list. You’ve heard him on dozens of recordings and his solo work for jazz and pop stars like Stevie Wonder, Djavan, Sarah Vaughan, Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Toninho Horta is simply outstanding.

Terra Mater is an upbeat album,” says the classically trained horn player. “Some of the music is energetic and busy, like New York. Some of it is laid-back, sensual and smooth, like L.A. It has funky American black rhythms blended with earthy Brazilian rhythms. I also bring in European classical, American jazz, big band sound, African music, lots of percussion.., and I put them all together in a personal way. I like to blend and contrast different electric and acoustic instruments, and I especially love the sound of lots of Afro-Brazilian rhythms mixed with horns.”

Terra Mater includes a special version of “Aquarela do Brasil” which is recognized by thousands of radio and webcast listeners as the intro theme to the nationally syndicated radio show “The Sounds of Brazil! with Scott Adams” ever since the program’s inception in 1992. With pianist Luis Avellar, guitarist Ricardo Silveira, Lincoln Olivetti and Don Grusin.