Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd: Jazz Samba

Rating: ★★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Eddie Caine (afl)
Joe Ferrante (t)
Hank Jones (p)
Bill Reichenbach (perc)
Bob Brookmeyer (vtb)
Charlie Byrd (g)
José Paulo (tamb)
Bernie Glow (t)
Doc Severinsen (t)
Stan Getz (ts)
Romeo Penque (bcl)
Tommy Williams (b)
Clark Terry (t)
Ray Alonge (frhn)
Carmen Costa (cabassa)
Johnny Rae (d)
Keter Betts (b)
Ray Beckenstein (cl, f)
Tony Studd (btb)
Walt Levinsky (cl)
Nick Travis (t)
Gary McFarland (arr)
Buddy Deppenschmidt (perc)
Arthur ‘Babe’ Clark (cl)
Jerry Sanfino (fl)
Willie Dennis (tb)
Gene Byrd (g, b)

Label:

Groove Replica

July/2020

Media Format:

LP, CD

Catalogue Number:

77015

RecordDate:

13 February 1962

This vinyl reissue replicates the original Verve Jazz Samba album and adds a single track from Verve's Big Band Bossa Nova while the CD combines the two albums in their respective entireties. While the jazz pundits tend to rate Getz/Gilberto more highly, it remains a fact that Jazz Samba came first and effectively launched the enduring bossa-nova craze upon an unaware world. It opens with the classic ‘Desafinado’, almost the definitive bossa nova exemplar, but just to hear that ethereal tenor sound, over the soft percussive backdrop is to appreciate once again the sheer grace of Getz's playing, with Byrd's acoustic guitar equally evocative. The LP sound is superb, incidentally, each entry by Getz like a statement of delight. It's valuable to be able to compare the CD and LP sounds, in turn; yes, the LP is softer, with a degree of added presence so in the end you pays your money and takes your choice, I guess. Either way, lucky is the person who comes across this wonderful music for the first time: Getz at his mid-life best, dynamic but beautifully adjusted to the bubbling rhythm patterns.

The saxophonist asked Canadian arranger Gary McFarland to create a big band backdrop for his next bossa nova endeavour. Opinions vary about its effectiveness and there's a debate whether his more assertive scoring overpowers Getz's finesse. Suffice it to say that Jazz Samba is the sublime and ground-breaking Getz-ian bossa statement, whereas the big band setting just seems a tad too much. Shrill rather than subtle. But judge for yourself.

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