ANTONIO ADOLFO
Carnaval—The Songs Were So Beautiful
AAM Music
From Venezuela, we turn to the music of Brazil and the work of Brazilian pianist, composer and arranger Antonio Adolfo. Here, the maestro delves into the songs of Carnaval with a 10-piece band that aims to please. The arrangements are bright, the music light, cheerful, downright celebratory. On “É Com Esse Que Eu Vou,” written in 1948 by Pedro Caetano, Jesse Sadoc and Idriss Boudria drop in fantastic soli on trumpet and saxophone, respectively. “Vassourinhas” comes in as a frevo, a dance and music style popular around Carnaval. It’s a quick-paced jaunt with the unexpected twists and turns you come to actually expect with Brazilian music.
Marcelo Martins drops a thrilling solo as does guitarist Lula Galvão. “Oba (O Bafo da Onça),” or “breath of the jaguar,” is an Osvaldo Nunes tune from 1962 featuring again Sadoc’s high-wire trumpet flurries, which pair well with guitarist Galvão’s more laid-back offering. Trombonist Rafael Rocha contributes another beautifully paced solo on the tune. “Mal-Me-Quer,” or “she loves me, she loves me not,” gives Adolfo a chance to shine. He’s a beautiful accompanist, but steps out with terrific ideas, touch and style when he solos, as on this tune. It’s a film noir romancer.
“Vai Passar,” or “it’s going to be OK,” was written in 1984 by Chico Buarque and Francis Hime. It’s an upbeat, positive vibe that says, “Try not to tap your toes here.” Adolfo makes a U-turn for the closer. From the upbeat “Vai Passar,” he dives into “As Pastorinhas,” a ballad evoking the women singers at Carnaval. The composers, Braguinha and Noel Rosa, must have fallen in love with one or two, as the tune turns out to be a bit of a love letter to them, and to the magic of Carnaval itself.