Former Wishful Thinking keyboardist and Emmy winning composer
Chris Boardman spent two years honing some absolutely astonishing material with some of the L..A. club scene's top stalwarts in preparation for this stellar debut. Compositionally, Tudo Bem sharply combines
Boardman's Brazilian leanings (the album title is Portuguese for "Everything' Okay") with orchestral sensibilities, a sense of hook oriented commercial appeal, and spunky surprises. But looking at
Boardman's film score background, you might expect such mouthwatering melodies. The real charm of the disc lies in the playing.
Boardman shines with a funger frenzy on the title cut, but the way he shares the spotlight with such winners as guitarist
John Goux, bassist Jerry Watts (the force behind "Jerry's Funk"), percussionist
Luis Conte, skinmaster
Tom Brechtlein, and GRP saxman
Eric Marienthal is most impressive.
Boardman is excellent, but in the end, it is Marienthal who brings the keyboardist's tunes alive with verve and passion.