This excellent release of the experienced pianist/composer/arranger
Gilson Peranzzetta serves as a reference for modern instrumental Brazilian music. It seems evident that
Gilson preferred to keep away any analogies with the jazz idiom; in spite of this album being populated by an expressive amount of the best Brazilian performers, there are only a few tracks that explores short improvisations, highlighting "Prelúdio da Bachiana Brasileira No. 4," the wonderful Villa-Lobos chamber piece, and "Sorrir," a quiet ballad (samba-canção) in which he is joined by
Mauro Senise's passionate alto interpretation, Paulo Russo's wonderful bass playing, and
Robertinho Silva's inspired rhythm. In spite of the few solos, the high level of performance is put to the service of poetry in music, with no empty virtuosity, and the written arrangements are developed as architectural sketches, expressing a strong urge to describe a personal vision of Brazil. The rest of the album explores Brazilian rhythms and composers going from the energetic to the melancholic, the arrangements ranging from highly technical demanding to simple, delicate lullabies. Along with purely Brazilian themes and grooves, there are reflexes of the classical tradition that served as raw material for the belle époque composers and are deeply ingrained in the Brazilian culture constitution, but each acoustic reverberation of this music is certainly Brazilian. The Rio Cello Ensemble provides exceptional depth to a wonderful rendition of Villa Lobos' "Prelúdio da Bachiana Brasileira No. 4," also being present in other tracks along with the aforementioned musicians. A
Milton Nascimento classic, "Vera Cruz," brings additional contemporary interest, while
Gilson's "Quermesse," helped by the cello ensemble, evokes the very sounds of Northeast in a haunting introduction, replaced by Northeastern jumpy, happy xote. "Acalanto" (lullaby), by
Dorival Caymmi, brings a wonderfully re-harmonized rendition of this delicate piece. ~ Alvaro Neder