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Re. Moacir Santos: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/14/arts/music/13santos.html?_r=1&fta=y http://brazilianmusic.com/mrsamba/moacir.html http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=14219 http://www.youtube.com/artist/Moacir_Santos?feature=watch_metadata

OK, my bad! Thanks for the clarification. However, do I think Miles was (possibly) influenced by Brazilian music later in his life? Maybe so - there's no proof I can offer, but I suspect his ears were just as open as those of his colleagues (Don Cherry and Don Pullen, to name two). afaik, Brazilian music didn't really start circulating here until the 1950s; late 50s-early 60s if you go by the date that Charlie Byrd and others (wish I had my references handy!) 1st went to Brazil on a State Dep't.-sponsored tour. (Will have to add the info. later... sorry to be somewhat vague. However, McGowan & Pessanha's book - mentioned a few posts back - has some great info.; would also suggest a look at John Storm Roberts' "The Latin Tinge" and "Latin Jazz: The First of the Fusions.")

His core ballad style: I didn't say that. but i think you're trying to draw direct lines between Miles and Elis (please correct me if I'm misreading you on that) - and if so, I have to say that I can't agree, though I certainly do hear a kinship. However (big "however"), he could well have heard Brazilian piano trios (etc.) from the late 50s on... no telling what records made their way to him, now is there? Miles supposedly called Hermeto "the most impressive musician in the world," fwiw. (I have no idea if that quote is apochryphal or accurate, though I suspect the former.) Re. "Gil," I had to stop and think for a second, if only because Gilberto Gil is usually referred to as "Gil." (Soft g, though.) Edited to add; Elis could really be a belter - this is one of the rare times where we get to hear her in a quieter setting... which is probably one of the reasons why I like this session so much. Sadly, she died when she was just starting to sing in a more mature style (imo), and I can;'t help wondering what direction(s) she would have taken had she lived.

There are some nice uptempo songs on the "Ensaio" show, like this one (by Edu Lobo) -

Hermeto worked with Miles - he's on "Live-Evil." Airto has worked with Lord knows who all; ditto for Naná Vasconcelos, etc. etc. I think a lot of musicians up here have been influenced greatly by direct contact with Brazilian musicians they've played with and by simply listening to and absorbing things re. the Brazilian music they've heard. (That said... most N. Americans play samba in 4/4 rather than in 2/4, which is how Brazilians feel - and notate - it. Make of that what you will!) I wasn't referring specifically to either Miles or Elis, but to broader trends in which I suspect they both played a part. (Musical trends and ideas that were being passed around in Brazil and making their way to N. America and Europe, and vice versa - obviously, recordings were a part of that.) I think that's debatable, really. There was an entire generation of Brazilian musicians who played both samba and jazz (and other forms of music, too) who were Miles' contemporaries. A lot of them moved to either the US or Europe after the dictatorship in Brazil started making things difficult... And who's to say that any of us are ever at a point where we would not be influenced by new (to us) music and musical ideas? * Re. Miles' pronouncement on J. Gilberto, he said the same thing (or something much like it) about the late Shirley Horn. I think that "sing the phone book" line is very overused, but were Miles - and others - acknowledging someone who is a top-notch musician? Sure! That said, there are (imo) many others who are just as talented. João Gilberto has gotten international exposure; many others never have, and some of the best never gigged outside of Brazil or are only known to a handful of people outside of Brazil. (The late Moacir Santos - mentioned above - is one of the latter.) And frankly, as good as João Gilberto is, he's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg re. good Brazilian music. There are so many regional styles/genres - even now - that don't get much time even in Brazil, let alone outside it.

Yes... but it also seems (to me) to be a case of people listening to very specific things; also working with Brazilian musicians. Think about it: Airto and Flora, Moacir Santos (terrific arranger/composer and baritone sax player) and many other Brazilian musicians either emigrated to the US and/or started working regularly with American and European musicians, beginning in the late 1960s. (Two of the latter - not emigrants - Hermeto Pascoal and Naná Vasconcelos... Hermeto recorded with Miles.) And these people were recording on their own and gigging with lots of other folks. Moacir Santos was also teaching at Gary Foster's school. There's a *lot* more going on here, I think, than meets the eye. (Spelled out a bit more explicitly in Chris McGowan and Ricardo Pessanha's book The Brazilian Sound.)

I am a big fan of Conrad's "Typhoon," much more so than of Nostromo. But to each his/her own...

Which begs the question... was Miles listening to a lot of Brazilian music? Because Elis's phrasing is very much in tune with the language (Brazilian Portuguese as well as certain kinds of music from there). There's no doubt in my mind that Elis spent time listening to N. American jazz singers, but imo, this is very Brazilian-sounding music, and a really masterful interpretation and phrasing on her part. Personally, I think a big case can be made for cultural currents running both ways (from Brazil to the US and Europe and back again), and I think that if you asked musicians who were around at the time, you'd get a lot of agreement on that. As I said earlier, this was a fantastic session - probably far and away my favorite out of all the Elis recordings I've heard, and definitely one of those rare times when everything was not only just right, but was captured on audio and video while it was happening. Something to keep in mind: a lot of young writers wanted Elis to perform and record their music... Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Ivan Lins, Joyce and many others. They liked her interpretive ability. "Atrás da Porta" was written by Francis Hime and. Chico Buarque. Chico is a really a superb lyricist and composer, although his writing is complex and my language skills aren't up to that standard as yet. Lyrics here: http://letras.terra.com.br/chico-buarque/45113/

btw, i agree on the feeling of the Portuguese lyrics for this song, though I like the English-language version a lot, too. In both cases, Jobim was very careful about the number of syllables per word (and per line), the type of rhyme, etc. (Portuguese lyrics here: http://letras.terra.com.br/tom-jobim/49022/) I've read that the opening line of this song ("É pau, é pedra" - literally, it is wood (stick, branch) / it is stone) were taken directly from an AFro-Brazilian religious ceremony, but that's speculation. (Though I wouldn't be surprised if it was true.)

Yes, it's him, with Luisão Maia on bass ... and I'm blanking on the drummer's name. It's from a TV program called "Ensaio" - the whole show was released on DVD a few years back. I *think* all the music portions of the show are on YouTube (at least, they used to be). am not a big Elis fan, but she and the trio were just this side of "perfect" for this session, I think.

I think the flaws are forgivable for her performance alone... and (imo) the movie really is a good sendup of certain kinds of pretensions.

"Manhattan" put me off Woody Allen for a long time (the affair with Mariel Hemingway's *very* underage character); most of my friends had the same reaction to it and I don't think anyone (us women, anyway) was terribly surprised by the whole deal with Soon Yi. And yes, no question that the publicity surrounding that affair tarnished his reputation. That said, I really like a lot of his movies, although I prefer his comedies to the more auteur-ish films he keeps trying to make. here are some of my faves: Love and Death Radio Days (probably my favorite) The Purple Rose of Cairo Broadway Danny Rose (Nick Apollo Forte! Macy's parade balloons! The Carnegie Deli!) Bullets Over Broadway (the casting is perfect; very funny movie) Small Time Crooks (Elaine May *and* Tracey Ullman! But see it for Elaine May... she's superb. For that matter, so is Hugh Grant - again, another casting decision that sounds awful on paper but really works onscreen.) A film or two that I feel ambivalent about: Sweet and Lowdown Alice A film I expected to like but never have (saw it as a first-run): Annie Hall - though I thought Diane Keaton was fun and well-cast. One that I thought was hilarious but haven't seen in years: Take the Money and Run I think there's much less focus now on an attempt to create American auteur types than there was in the 70s. Allen got over-hyped back then (imo) as an aspirant to the title. He's creative, yes, but maybe everyone got tired of the pretentiousness of the whole auteru thing as well as wanting him to not appear in his own movies. (Which sentiment I heartily second; there's only so much one can do with that shtick.) Also agree that it's a generational thing. And yeah... he makes a lot of movies; maybe too many (imo, anyway).

From the WSJ link above - Bartok made field recordings, as did some of his associates. The Lomaxes didn't invent "on-the-spot" recording.

lupe - yes, I understand what you're saying. I guess Ojos... is not my favorite out of his recordings, though - maybe for the same reasons that you're recommending it. (Though I do really like Saluzzi's collaborations with the Rosamunde Quartet.) I think my reaction might have a lot to do with some aspects of the mastering and overall ECM aesthetic, which is a whole different topic!

There are lots of people out there - mostly in Brazil - who are wonderful interpreters of Jobim's work. Just gotta start looking!

De nada - I've come to like a lot of older Ghanian pop music over the past couple of years, and Mensah is a favorite. (Also a pioneer of the style.) Retroafric has a couple of nice comps of his recordings...

Ah! Thanks so much for the clarification. I'll try and track it down...

This is a fave of mine - kinda old school, I think. (As far as I'm aware, that is...) Have you tried listening to any Ghanian highlife - E.T. Mensah, for one? The style started in Ghana; their version is a lot mellower than the Nigerian version, I think. Also: http://highlifeturntable.blogspot.com/ This blogger really knows his stuff!

Bollani's "Falando de Amor" is an all-Jobim disc.... 1. Falando de Amor 2. Só Tinha de ser com você 3. Angela 4. Luiza 5. Retrato em branco e preto 6. Agua de beber 7. Tema do amor por Gabriela 8. Cancao do amor demais 9. Aguas de Março 10. Pois e 11. Samba de uma nota so Haven't heard it myself, but I'd like to! I really love "Bollani carioca." Edited to add... reissue cover. Available on Amazon.com as an MP3 album, also as a disc - and it's on emusic.com, too.

Not sure that there's any middle ground on his singing - either you like it or you don't. I'm in the "don't" camp, though I wish I could tolerate it better, because I'd like more of his albums. but his compositions - and his piano playing - can't say enough good things about all of that. (Teasing the Korean is correct re. Jobim not wanting to be represented as a guitarist; can't say I blame him.)

Very nice show! There are some things that (imo) they could have emphasized a bit more, but the clips they included were great (had never seen any of the UK footage before) and I figure that takes precedence over an info. pile-on. (I had no idea she had toured with the Jordanaires!) There was some great interview footage, too - I especially liked the cuts with her friend Roxie Moore.

De nada, lupe! I'm hoping that Jerry makes another album with flamenco musicians - he hasn't recorded much under his own name since his move to Spain. Also, I really like the La Banda set on Enja... would like to hear more music in that vein myself. Has anyone here listened to any of guitarist Simone Guiducci's albums? I haven't heard much of his work, but my impression of what little I have heard is very, very good. Zurzolo's name is new to me - thanks for the recs, everyone!

Nice list - though Dino Saluzzi is from Argentina... I don't have "Ojos Negros," but on the albums of his that I do have, he is drawing primarily from various kinds of Argentinean folk and popular music. Have you heard "Jerry Gonzalez Y Los Piratas del Flamenco"? I think you would really enjoy it!

Hmm... watching the robot vids and then reading the comments on this piece (Tristano in Denmark playing "Tangerine") is just... Check 'em:

Looks to me like he's got nothing against Callot; just contemporaries who work in his manner. (fwiw.)