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Beatriz
Doce Presenca
Estamos Ai
I Tried To Tell You
I'll Remember April
In My Life
Inutil Paisagem
Lulu's Back In Town
My Bells
Voa Livre
“Jazz Brazilian Style (and vice versa)!
They may have been separated at birth, but the "twins" of Brazilian music and jazz spawned by African culture are beautifully rejoined in this gem of a CD by the excellent saxophonist/flutist Paul Lieberman. The concept--derived from "Ibeji," the album's title and the Yoruba word for "twins”--pairs Brazilianized versions of jazz tunes with jazzed-up Brazilian compositions, and the results are a revelation. “In My Life” as a baião? Who knew it could sound this good? The choice of material and the arrangements are outstanding, from the classic "Blue in Green" reimagined as a funky bossa nova and a choro take on Dubin and Warren’s “Lulu’s Back in Town” to swinging versions of the Mauricio Einhorn/Durval Ferreira standard “Estamos Aí” and Jobim’s “Inutil Paisagem.” Lieberman also includes two lovely originals, the ballad “I Tried to Tell You” and the soaring “Voa Livre,” which manages to sound ethereal and earthy at once, and gathers almost all of the great musicians who contributed throughout the album, including Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe and cellist Eugene Friesen...“Ibeji” assigns different personnel to each genre, with Trio da Paz’s Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca kicking in the rhythm for the Brazilian-flavored tracks and Rufus Reid and Tim Horner on the jazz tunes. Playing across the genres are Lieberman and his co-producer and co-arranger, pianist Joel A. Martin; they end the set as a duo, going out on a perfect note with Edu Lobo/Chico Buarque’s gorgeous “Beatriz.” If you like your jazz Brazilian and your Brazilian tunes jazzy, this one’s for you!”
--Evelyn Rosenthal
They may have been separated at birth, but the "twins" of Brazilian music and jazz spawned by African culture are beautifully rejoined in this gem of a CD by the excellent saxophonist/flutist Paul Lieberman. The concept--derived from "Ibeji," the album's title and the Yoruba word for "twins”--pairs Brazilianized versions of jazz tunes with jazzed-up Brazilian compositions, and the results are a revelation. “In My Life” as a baião? Who knew it could sound this good? The choice of material and the arrangements are outstanding, from the classic "Blue in Green" reimagined as a funky bossa nova and a choro take on Dubin and Warren’s “Lulu’s Back in Town” to swinging versions of the Mauricio Einhorn/Durval Ferreira standard “Estamos Aí” and Jobim’s “Inutil Paisagem.” Lieberman also includes two lovely originals, the ballad “I Tried to Tell You” and the soaring “Voa Livre,” which manages to sound ethereal and earthy at once, and gathers almost all of the great musicians who contributed throughout the album, including Allman Brothers drummer Jaimoe and cellist Eugene Friesen...“Ibeji” assigns different personnel to each genre, with Trio da Paz’s Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca kicking in the rhythm for the Brazilian-flavored tracks and Rufus Reid and Tim Horner on the jazz tunes. Playing across the genres are Lieberman and his co-producer and co-arranger, pianist Joel A. Martin; they end the set as a duo, going out on a perfect note with Edu Lobo/Chico Buarque’s gorgeous “Beatriz.” If you like your jazz Brazilian and your Brazilian tunes jazzy, this one’s for you!”
--Evelyn Rosenthal