Chora Baiao, by Downbeat Magazine

Antonio Adolfo
Chora Baião
AAM 0703

Pianist Antonio Adolfo steps back into the studio with his daughter, vocalist Carol Saboya, to honor the 19th century Brazilian rural folk music forms, chora and baião.
Adolfo’s synergistic approach to the two-beat music forms focuses on the work of composers Chico Buarque and Guinga. But the spotlight goes to Adolfo’s curatorial expertise and insightful arrangements, which help shape the entire album into a lesson on the relationship between Brazilian folk styles and contemporary jazz. Guinga’s upbeat, percussion-heavy “Dá O Pé, Loro" gets things started in the baião vein, featuring a complex intro by Marcos Suzano on pandeiro, zabumba and triangle. A choro by Guinga follows, featuring less traditional rhythms that resonate within the Adolfo-penned title track, a marriage of the two musical styles. The ephemeral “Você, Você" serves as the central balancing point for the album. Adolfo’s arrangement includes an interlude lifted from one of his own songs, while Saboya’s seemingly airborne phrasing softly flutters around the melody. Buarque’s “A Ostra E O Vento" is another highlight, benefiting as much from Adolfo’s waltzing interpretation of the original tune as it does from Saboya’s bossa-scented delivery. —Jennifer Odell

Chora Baião : Dá O Pé, Loro; No Na Garganta; Chora, Baião; Você, Você; A Ostra E O Vento; Chicote; Chorosa Blues; Gota D’Água; Di Menor; Catavento E Girassol; Morro Dois Irmãos. (46:40) Personnel: Antonio Adolfo, piano; Leo Amuedo, guitar; Jorge Helder, double bass; Rafael Barata, drums; Marcus Suzano, percussion; Carol Saboya, vocals.
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