Stan Getz With Guest Artist Laurindo Almeida - Plak

ENGLISH

Stan Getz’s fifth bossa nova LP was not a great sales success in the Sixties. The compositions were not at fault, nor was the somewhat forceful tone of the saxophone. More likely it was because the critics no longer regarded “New Wave” as new, and maybe they (unjustly) missed the melancholia of Astrud Gilberto’s singing on this album.<br /><br /> Yet the voice of Brazilian singer Laurindo Almeida is full of spontaneity and inspiration, it is assured, full of freedom and expressiveness, which is not often found in such an amalgamation of jazz and Brazilian drive.<br /><br /> What is more, Laurindo Almeida composed the musically strongest number on this compilation and added to that he is also a virtuoso classical guitar player. Stan Getz performs highly expressive solos, but remains jazzy and favours long drawn out improvisations. The recordings are all enhanced by the five-man percussion group which lends the numbers their unique character and special drive.<br /><br /> This is not an LP to be ignored. It belongs in everyone’s collection, no matter whether in the jazz- or world-music section.<br /><br /> Recording: March 1963 at Webster Hall, New York City, by Val Valentin<br /><br /> Production: Creed Taylor