Picture
Julie Andrews shifting to a playful samba mode, and you've just about captured the whimsical spirit of this brilliant experiment, which applies a bright and rhythmic, always tasteful Brazilian twist to the legendary
Richard Rodgers songbook. While best-known for his sacred choral music and chamber orchestra works,
Roger Davidson was a child of the bossa nova '60s and had always wanted to do a Rio-flavored project. To help him achieve his aim, the pianist enlists veteran Latin jazz bassist
David Finck and drummer
Paulinho Braga, whose resume includes none other than
Antonio Carlos Jobim and
Milton Nascimento. The disc begins with a lively, galloping samba take on "My Romance" and takes both a grace centered and then ultimately hardcore percussive approach to "Blue Moon." The best way to be true to the unique blend of
Rodgers' material is to take them in unexpected directions, mixing up the rhythm from track to track. So while "The Sweetest Sound" zips along merrily,
Davidson renders "Edelweiss" with a reverent, subdued piano solo magic. While the unique grooves are the selling point, the trio never places them over the beautiful melodies that are the core of
Rodgers' magnificent legacy. ~ Jonathan Widran