Bossa Got The Blues
Six Degrees, 2019
8/10
The Brazilian pioneers who have very successfully meshed electronic sounds with Bossa Nova ideas, this 7th album from the legendary Bossacucanova brings in several guests to help flesh out the varied and instrumental listen.
“1937” gets the party started off right with bright horns, slinky guitar lines and lively percussion in the festive opener, and this continues to the woodwind heavy “Mandacaru”, as well as the elegant yet frisky “Train To Ipanema”.
The back half of the listen glows, too, with the spacey sounds and harmonica fun of “Laudir’s Theme”, while the strong, cultured rhythm of “Bossa Got The Blues” is impossible to forget and easy to adore.
Closer to the end, “Vou Nessa” recruits some funk fun amid the dynamic instrumentation, and “Galeria Menescal” exits the affair softer and jazz friendly with a cautious delivery that punctuates the intimacy.
Bossacucanova have already been Latin Grammy nominated, and here they again prove why they’re considered the best of the best in Latin influenced jazz and blues sounds, and with Roberto Menescal revisiting his role as guitarist and composer, it’s quite likely this is their best work to date.
Travels well with: Guido Spannocchi- All The Above; Meklit- When The People Move The Music Moves Too