Raul De Souza - Plenitude

PAO RECORDS

£13

Cat. no: 11380
Format: CD
Barcode: 9006834113801
Release Date: 21st May 2021
Genre: Jazz

The Brazilian virtuoso trombonist Raul de Souza is a world Jazz phenomenon whose unparalleled career spans six decades.

Early success in his home territory was followed by stardom in the USA with ‘Sweet Lucy’, part of a long and storied discography that has included collaborations with other pre-eminent musicians of his and later generations in Brazil (where he enjoys legendary status), as well as many others around the world. Still active, de Souza has recently been working with a younger crop of musicians who bring modern sounds and fresh energy to his work.

As Generations Band, they are celebrating the forthcoming release of ‘Plenitude’, the extraordinary first album they have made together. Born in 1934 in Rio de Janeiro, de Souza burst onto the vibrant Brazilian music scene in his 20’s and played with the likes of S rgio Mendes, Milton Nascimento, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, co-developing the Bossa Nova of the ‘50s and the Samba Jazz of the ‘60s. After moving to Los Angeles in 1973, his collaborations with superstars such as Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock and Jaco Pastorius culminated in the 1977 hit ‘Sweet Lucy’, produced by George Duke.

He eventually returned to Brazil, where he contributed to Tom Jobim’s 1996 Grammy-winning album ‘Ant nio Brasileiro’. Still active as a composer and an astounding performer, de Souza has recently been working with a group of talented young musicians that has proved inspirational for all concerned. Ranging in age from 24 to 86, the intercontinental line-up of the Raul de Souza Generations Band includes Swiss born trombonist and arranger Christophe Schweizer, piano discovery Alex Correa, bassist Glauco Solter and drum prodigy Matheus Jardim.

The unit originally came together in 2017 for a concert at a Jazz festival in Hamburg and has subsequently developed its own infectious blend of Funk with traditional and contemporary Brazilian Jazz, drawing on the rich legacy of rhythms, melodies and harmonies from that country and the beautiful sound of a two trombone front line.

On tour shortly before the global pandemic and literally living together as a family for several weeks, the group recorded ‘Plenitude’, which consists of contemporary arrangements of de Souza’s early funk successes such as ‘Sweet Lucy’ and ‘Daisy Mae’, collaborations with old friends (including a rework of ‘Apesar de Voc ‘ by compatriot Chico Buarque), plus brand new compositions.

Tracks: Intro (Spoken) / Nan / To Chico (Spoken) / Apesar De Voc / Funk Das Meninas / To George (Spoken) / Sweet Lucy / To Wayne (Spoken) / Beauty And The Beast / Daisy Mae / Nethina Aura / Passarim / Plenitude / To You (Spoken) / Tombo In 7/4 / S Louco (Solo)