Customer Reviews

Power Samba Band

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Few cultures have retained, cultivated, and grown from their musical roots as well as Brazil, and what better hotbed for Brazilian-American Jazz than the Big Apple?

Excluding Jovinho Santos Neto's Seattle, of course, none, which is why there is some wonderful material on this CD. The rhythm section in particular is excellent, populated with instruments like the earth-shaking surdo and the cuica, which sounds something like a monkey making its own parade. It's worth mentioning that the cuiceiro on this record is one of the best I've heard.

Percussion fans will want to skip to track 9, Drums Evolution, which is essentially a batucada (percussion jam) track. Here, the Power Samba band lives up to its name - as fast and unerring as the "Foot of the Bull" from which their name is derived. (see also BATUCADA, recorded by the famous rhythm corps Mocidade Indepente do Padre Miguel- available from Amazon.com, of course)

Your stay in this rhytmic paradise, however, is destined to be short-lived. Despite decent performances on the horns,the melodic instruments fail to match the intensity of the drumming, and the singing occasionally sounds tacked-on; see "Capoeira," (Track 6.)

It's entirely possible that the recording does not do the performance group justice. If I should happen to make it to NYC any time soon, I'll be sure to see if Pei de Boi is playing, as I'd much rather spend the money on seeing it live than to purchasing this lukewarm CD.