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Team players are Café Da Silva, Armando Marcal and Rafael Pereira (percussion), Torcuato Mariano, Marlon McClain and Phil Hamilton (guitars), Gabriel Mark Hasselbach (trumpet), Marion Meadows and Freddy V (sax), Ragan Whiteside (flute), James “Crab” Robinson, Porter Carroll II, Gigi, Zoiea Ohizep (vocals). Baldwin is singing lead and background as well as playing piano, Rhodes, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, Moog bass, Melodica, strings and clave on the album.
The
double album encompasses the recordings of two hemispheres, Movement
I Rio-Ipanema and Movement II New York.
Every CD is created in separate cultural circles with very own
musicians. Bob Baldwin has a special affinity for the
Brazilian music including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ivan Lins
and Djavan. In 2004 he already recorded Brazil Chill with a
host of Brazilian players in Rio. He catches up with this album on the
first CD. The starter Funky Rio joins in the excitement and
atmosphere of
Brazil's secret capital. On Ipanema Fusion keyboardist Bob Baldwin is
joined by percussionist Café Da Silva, while Dennis Johnson works on the
additional drum programming. This song is for brain and body. Bob's
extensive jazz excursions on keys are perfectly framed by organic
percussion. Teardrop features flautist
Ragan Whiteside, who is promoted by Bob
since many years and has been cooperating with him on a variety of
projects. Her enchanting style is always an enrichment. Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail and
the delightful taste of this drink fuels the song with energy and verve.
Argentinean guitarist Torcuato Mariano
contributes with his charismatic style a big dose of Brazilian flavor to
the groove. The
Corcovado/The Redeemer is the all-dominating
mountain Rios and is known worldwide for the statue of Jesus atop its
peak, entitled Cristo Redentor. Another fine musical tribute to
the city of Rio. Friends of EWF's
music will be thrilled by Greatest Lover, Bob has composed the
tune in the spirit of Maurice White. Lead vocalist and responsible for
the wonderful timbre is Zoiea Ohizep, who has co-written
the song with Bob. As a veteran back up vocalist Zoiea has recorded with
Melba Moore, Freddie Jackson, Phyllis Hyman, Glenn Jones & Sara Dash. The interlude Boa Noite provides the
necessary atmosphere for the subsequent piece Looking At Me
featuring singer Gigi. She is unquestionably a pleasant discovery and
hopefully she decides to continue her vocal career in this direction.
The soulful Anjo De Mim (Angel of Mine) is a masterpiece by
Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins with an outstanding lyrical flow
transferred in the typical Baldwin groove. Lins'
composition Começar de Novo (Starting Over) was
often covered under the title The Island for example by Sergio
Mendez, Barbara Streisand or Patti Austin. The romantic melody invites
to this incredibly accessible tune featuring famous saxophonist Leo
Gandelman. Eu Te Devoro by Brazilian singer/songwriter Djavan
is a cordial love ballade that allows some interpretation. The swinging Oasis Of Love is equally
melodious and jazzy. Baldwin is inspired by Al Jarreau's
scat singing showing all aspects of a great musician from
composition, performance to arrangement. Love Dance/May I Have This
Dance is a jazz standard by Ivan Lins with a favor for the smoother
side of jazz perfectly recaptured by Baldwin. Children Of The Sun
ends the first CD with an esoteric fine tuned song. The New York section starts with a Home From Work,
a bass and rhythm enhanced tune with an exceedingly active Baldwin
shining on keys. Maurice-The
Sound Of His Voice is dedicated to the late Maurice White, the
former founder of the legendary group EWF. The Latin flavored tune
evokes with blissful excursion on piano and sing sang memories of this
great musician. My Soul is compared to the previous pieces a
little minimalistic. A programmed rhythm stays in the background, while
Bob on piano and Marion Meadows on soprano sax share the lead. The piano
kicks it up a notch while Marion takes a more melodic part. Attentive
listeners will remark that For You is a remix of a song,
Baldwin has already released on his album For You (2001). This
version features Porter Carroll II, a member of Atlantic Star, who
already graced numerous projects. Summer Madness, originally released on Kool
And The Gang's album Light Of The World (1974), features singer
James "Crab" Robinson, formerly a prominent vocalist of the group
Change. Baldwin previously released this song on his album Lookin'
Back (2009). Yesterday is one of the most famous tunes,
the Beatles ever composed. On this album Baldwin presents an extended
version compared to the one on his album For You. The Samba propelled South Of The Border
presents Bob's piano and keyboards driven movement with great
emphatically improvisation and vibrant performance. Saxophonist Fred
'Freddy V' Vigdor brings in some fiery tones. Bob Baldwin and Canadian
trumpeter Mark Gabriel Hasselbach provide on Mobile And Global
an electrifying exuberance of melodic richness. Summer's Over presents with a bitter-sweet
melancholy singer Michele Morehead harmonizing the song in perfection.
I Need The Air (You Breathe) is a slow paced piano piece
underlined with orchestral strings decorated with lyrical extensions.
The melodic State Of Mind features again Freddy V on sax
sharing the melody with Bob on piano. The Message is at the same time a
hymn to Maurice White as well as a moral guide for a better world. Bob Baldwin's double feature The
Brazilian-American Soundtrack is a concentrated charge of
entertainment. With more than two hours the listener gets a stunning
recording full of melodic ideas.
Buy the album in all stores
Album Information 04 For You [5:27] 05 Summer Madness [6:01] 06 Yesterday [6:52] 07 South Of The Border [7:07] 08 Mobile And Global [5:11] 09 Summer's Over [6:27] 10 I Need The Air (You Breathe)[6:09] 11 State Of Mind [7:26] 12 The Message (A Maurice White Dedication)[2:53] Further reviews: Never Can Say Goodbye NewUrbanJazz,com Looking Back For You NewUrbanJazz.com 2 / Re-Vibe
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