Stan Getz - Sweet Rain (1967)

Second Ron Carter post in a row, and another Stan Getz one following the recent Getz-Gilberto (link below).  The lineup on this breezy, nimble session from March 1967 is completed by Chick Corea on piano, whose compositions also bookend the album, and Grady Tate on drums.  

 

Right from the lengthy Litha, it's gorgeous late-summer bliss that shows Getz not so much in thrall to bossanova any more as having fully internalised Latin rhythms and influences.  A lovely mid-tempo take on O Grande Amor by Jobim/de Moraes does keep the Brazilian flame alive, and the album's first side closes out on the melancholy title track by Mike Gibbs.  Two lengthy explorations in Latin-inflected rhythms complete the album, lifted throughout by Corea's lightness of touch and the distinctive warmth of Getz's tone.

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pw: sgtg

Stan Getz at SGTG:

Conception

Getz/Gilberto

Hermeto Pascoal - Slaves Mass (1977)

Wanted to give Hermeto Pascoal's music a try after that post of Live-Evil, so here's a jazz fusion classic with plenty of authentic Brazilian flavour thanks to the array of great guest musicians.  Recording in Los Angeles, Pascoal jammed with Weather Reporters Alphonso Johnson and Chester Thompson for one aspect of the album - lengthy fusion improvs led by Pascoal's electric piano.  Only one of these sessions made the album - the stunning opener Mixing Pot (Tacho) - but this CD reissue captures two more as bonus tracks, and at around fifteen minutes apiece both are welcome additions here.

The other lineup on the album centred around Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, married at that time and having shared history with Pascoal in the group Quarteto Novo.  They are joined by Ron Carter on bass and first introduced on the ritualistic, experimental title track - Airto is credited with "live pigs" here, which must've been an interesting recording session.  Side one of the album is filled out by the sunny, melodic Little Cry For Him (Chorinho Pra Ele), which reminded me of Egberto Gismonti circa Circense, and a composition in tribute to Cannonball Adderley that features flute, percussion and varispeed voices.

In another Gismonti similarity, this time to Dança Das Cabeças, Side two of Slaves' Mass starts out with solo piano, in the dazzling runs of Just Listen (Escuta Meu Piano).  The lovely and languid That Waltz (Aquela Valsa), with interplay between Pascoal's soprano sax and Raul De Souza's trombone, gives a bit of a breather before the final track.  The twelve minutes of Cherry Jam (Geleia De Cereja) are a straight trio performance between Pascoal, Carter and Moeira, and run through plenty of electric piano, sax and percussion solos to give a fantastic close to a highly recommended album.  As mentioned earlier, the three bonus outtakes are all worth hearing - a short track that features Pascoal on accordion and vocals, then two lengthy Johnson/Thompson workouts.

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pw: sgtg

Stanley Turrentine - Salt Song (1971)

Sometime in the late 90s, I couldn't sleep and turned on the radio.  What I randomly encountered in the wee small hours was a beautifully mellow piece of orchestrated jazz, led by a saxophone and featuring a gospel choir refrain of "I told Jesus, I told Jesus" - and I was hooked.  Found the album a few years later, on one of the first mp3 blogs I ever followed; which blog that was escapes me now, but the album's remained an enduring favourite.

Stanley Turrentine (1934-2000) spent the first decade of his career on Blue Note, before signing to Creed Taylor's newly independent CTI imprint.  Salt Song was Turrentine's second album for CTI, and arguably his best, with his gently breezy tone seemingly made for the in-house arrangements of Eumir Deodato.  I remember including Salt Song's opener, Freddie Hubbard's Gibraltar, on a mix CD for a DJ mate who was a Bob James obsessive, and he absolutely loved it.  Eric Gale's slinky guitar part is almost an equal lead instrument over the Carter & Cobham groove.

The album's second half starts in upbeat Latin mode, with the Milton Nascimento-penned title track, and ends with another muscular groove (and a great Gale solo) in Storm, the only Turrentine original.  In between is another lush ballad, I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do, which had also been done by Astrud Gilberto on her album of the same name.  CD remasters add another Nascimento tune, Vera Cruz - as mentioned on Friday - which dated back to the Spring of 1971, and the sessions for Turrentine's (sort of) collaboration with Gilberto.  All of which brings us neatly to the album below...

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pw: sgtg

bonus post: Gilberto With Turrentine

...and to Astrud Gilberto's only album for CTI.  If intended as a full collaboration with Turrentine as per the title, in the end only three tracks featured both artists, and only further track featured Stanley Turrentine.  Unhappy with the way the album was going, Gilberto then walked out on the sessions, leaving Vera Cruz instrumental, and the other instrumental track To A Flame featuring neither headline artist.

So if this album ended up as a bit of a 'could have been' - I'd certainly have loved to hear Astrud sing one of my favourite Stephen Stills songs - what remains is still a great listen for anyone who enjoys the CTI ensemble in its heyday.  The first two tracks, a Bacharach/David song then a Deodato arrangement of a Brazilian tune, certainly set up a potentially classic Astrud Gilberto album, and she's in fine voice throughout.

P.S. Just learned of the passing of João Gilberto, bossanova pioneer and Astrud's ex-husband - RIP.

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