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KOCH (MG Limited)
ROBERT EARL KEEN/Live at the Ryman: Alt.country mainstay finally gets to headline at the Mother Church and he’s feeling it. Him and his long term band hit it hard right out of the gate with a crisp crack off the sweet spot on the bat and he keeps circling the bases. Pulling songs from all phases of his career, Keen comes off more like a superstar than a cult hero and the fans are more than pleased. Although this looks like a stopping point on paper, it’s not a breather it’s a pause to let more people into the tent. High octane stuff that long time fans are sure to use as proof they had good taste all along.
9890
GAL COSTA/Today: Almost hard to believe that someone who’s been on the top of her game for 40 years still has the ears and drive to be open to new stuff, but I guess that’s how you stay on top of your game for so long. One of Brazil’s pre-eminent vocalists, she knows the Jobims of tomorrow have to come from somewhere and it sounds like she’s out to find them. A tasty, smart vocal set that mixes all her hallmarks with a look at the sound of the future. Brazil fans that aren’t sure about taking chances on new stuff have the welcome lead of an old hand to guide them well here.
31613 (DRG Brazil)
GAL COSTA/Live at the Blue Note: Pulling in her wings enough to make then span comfortably in a jazz club, Costa stretches back over her 40 year career to get back to Jobim and bossa nova. With a small crew behind her providing just the right setting, Costa crosses the time barrier like yesterday was merely yesterday as opposed to another time and place. Giving the Jobim catalog a sterling rendition, Costa has it all on the ball and sounds like she still enjoys these songs and putting her all into them. A classic date for classic Brazil fans that want something they can be sure won’t disappoint them.
31614 (DRG Brazil)
CHICO BUARQUE/Carioca: You really have to be a Brazil music fan to be hip to multimedia threat Buarque, now coming forth with his first new set in 8 years but pretty much the debut to gringo ears. Coming directly from the Jobim tradition, Buarque wants to make sure he makes an impression and this set is a double cd set with a DVD included as well. There’s a lot of material to go through but all of it’s compelling and he is ripe for your next hot, world beat discovery. With an expressiveness that cross passion, fire and chops, Buarque is hard to pigeon hole once you get past calling him ‘good’. A well textured, deep set that doesn’t aim to have something for everyone but is sure to blow away those ready to be converted. A great chance to be first on your block to make this welcome discovery.
31615 (DRG Brazil)
MARIA BETHANIA/Sings the Vincius de Moraes Songbook: You have to be a small print reader, but Moraes was a top sidekick of Jobim and therefore no slouch in his own right. Bethania turns the a bit from the usual and focuses on what this writer, her long time pal, has done under his own cover, not in anybodies shadow. A long time well loved vocalist, Bethania needs no introduction and this set needs to introduction as well. It’s pure classic Brazil as tendered by some pros that might be from the last generation but are standard bearers nonetheless. Hot stuff throughout that’s sure to make you more of a believer than you are already.
31616 (DRG Brazil)
JO STAFFORD/Joyful Season: Stafford was one of the classic vocalists on the golden age of 50’s jazz and here we find her giving it her all on a holiday set from the mid 60’s. The bonus tracks include some mega medleys with Gordon MacRae making this a dandy holiday gift for gramps who probably remembers this like it was yesterday. It was right on the money and stands up well today.
91491 (DRG)
BARBARA COOK/At the Met: Always the dazzling urbanites version of la Streisand, Cook doesn’t let time and tide get in the way of her giving a killer performances. Taking the stage of the Met with the same fervor Judy Garland took to Carnegie Hall, Cook is right on all the way through as she works her way through a well chosen set of standards, occasionally accompanied by some young whippersnappers that are keeping in the tradition. A classy album that doesn’t come along often, this is what really being a vocalist is about and if you want to follow in her footsteps, this is just as much a master class as it is a classy record. A sure bet for vocal fans.
91497 (DRG)
Volume 29/Number xx
November 4, 2006
MIDWEST RECORD RECAP
830 W. Route 22 #144
Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
(c)2006 Midwest Record
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