A follow-up to his surprise hit album
Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, this is
Guaraldi at his most winning, alternating between a straight jazz trio and the fast bossa nova groove of a Latin-ized quintet. Nothing fancy, just irresistible melodic swinging in either format, although it is the bossa treatments that particularly grab the listener's heart and feet. Best in the set are "Outra Vez," where
Guaraldi calmly savors
Jobim's beguiling harmonies on top of a frantic bossa beat, and
Guaraldi's own quirky tune "Freeway." Mostly recorded in a club setting, this is a defining album for
Guaraldi in his natural habitat. ~ Richard S. Ginell