Having straddled numerous musical genres throughout his career, Davide Giovannini’s first love has always been Brazilian music, and in particular the music associated with the collective of artists – Toninho Horta, Milton Nascimento, Beto Guedes and Lô Borges – that sprang up in the state of Minas Gerais in the 1960s and 70s. Collectively known as Clube da Esquina, named after the notable 1972 EMI double album, Giovannini’s guests on Minas Project include lyricist Fernando Brant, violinist Rudi Berger and flautist/vocalist Diana Popoff, all of whom contributed to forging the Clube da Esquina sound. The hugely engaging nine-track collection ranges from the über-languorous (‘The Tide’) to the pulsating (‘Baianero’). There’s plenty of characterful soloing too, including guitarist Guillermo Hill and soprano saxist Paul Booth on album opener ‘Egberto’ and violinist Berger on ‘Espelho D’Agua’ (one of two songs featuring lyrics by Brant), and harmonica player Stefano Muscovi on ‘Momento De Abril’.