If you enjoy instrumental Brazilian music played with passion, skill, and literacy, you've come to the right place with pianist
Roger Davidson's
Bom Dia. An extraordinary player and composer with classical training and plenty of jazz chops,
Davidson is joined by bassist
David Finck and the exceptional Brazilian drummer Paolo Braga, breezing through a full set of the pianist's original compositions, all with a fresh yet traditional approach to the sunshine and sensual happiness so extant in samba and bossa nova music. There's nothing lazy or complacent in
Davidson's approach, as he's reaching for the inner soul, warm depth, and laid-back experience that makes the Brazilian lifestyle unique. Of the more energetic numbers, the quick "Fabiana," hard Carnival-time dance accents on the title track, and lively refrains of "Ela Me Ama" reflect the party season in Rio. In a more jazzy tone is "Samba Para Minas Criancas," which acknowledges the styles of both a vibrant
Marcos Valle and a bouncy
Chick Corea, while two-fisted chords, limber and joyous, identify "I Remember Your Smile." The program goes in and out of love, despair, bittersweet finality, hope, and finally redemption. This is achieved via the inserted serene, contemplative, and graceful numbers programmed opposite the upbeat tunes, and as such works in a single listening session.
Davidson is on top of his game throughout,
Finck is virtually flawless, and Braga is, simply put, a precise and congenial rhythmic master and spell caster. A recording that is easily recommended, it is likely
Davidson's finest in a relatively obscure but substantive multifaceted music career. ~ Michael G. Nastos