Artiste: Mark Murphy
Album: Night Mood – The Music Of Ivan Lins
Spotlight Track: Madalena
Label: Milestone Records
Mark Murphy – Vocals
with special guests
Azymuth :
Jose Roberto Bertrami – acoustic and electric piano, Kurzweil synthesizer
Alex Malheiros – electric bass, percussion
Ivan Conti (Mamao) – drums, percussion
Frank Morgan – alto saxophone
Claudio Roditi – flugelhorn, rotary valve trumpet
For this week’s review, since I’ve been tremendously inspired at Java Jazz ‘07, I’ll be reviewing a CD that I bought whilst I was there. This album is hands down cigarette smokin’, jazz loungin’, finger snappin’, crosslegged tappin’ vibes to the end. Not surprising at all since it’s assembled by jazz legends like Mark Murphy, Azymuth, Claudio Roditi and most importantly, songs written by the WWF champion of bossa melodies, the don himself Mr. Ivan Lins.
For his first Milestone installment, Mark Murphy – who’s always been into finding material worthy of expanding the jazz singing artform – chose (what was basically inevitable) the songs of Ivan Lins to showcase ‘one of the richest and most seamless programs of his career’. Looking at the musicians he chose to work with on this LP, it’s pretty clear that he intended to give Ivan Lins’ material as much respect and attention as possible. Jose Roberto Bertrami on the keys, Alex Malheiros on the b-lines, Ivan Conti on the skins, Claudio Roditi on the brass, I mean… the fella chose legends lah. Game over liao. I didn’t even need to test the CD when I bought it cos confirm the vibes are going to be Mild Seven Lights, Cognac Dry and the Thumbs Up Kacang big time.
The only regret I have with this album is: after standing and jumping like monkey in Java Jazz, my calves were aching like hell and it would have been perfect if, when back in the hotel, this CD was on and I have my Mild Seven Lights, cognac, kacang and a foot reflexologist to come to my room and massage just my calves while I tangkap the sounds of the underground. Wah, that would have been really shiok but unfortunately the hotel’s foot reflexologist didn’t work till 1AM so programme spoil. Wasted.
I also had a really hard time choosing the Spotlight Track cos I loved almost all the tracks, but in the end I decided to choose something a little more upbeat yet still maintaining the classic Mark Murphy improv style. ‘Madalena’ was written by Lins and first recorded by the late great Elis Regina. It was after this song that peeps like George Benson, Quincy Jones and Sarah Vaughan took notice of Ivan’s mastery on the melodies and many covers of his songs soon came out in the following years. In fact, I heard Quincy and George Benson cover almost half the tracks in this album alone. Anyway, back to Madalena, I guess the sample here really speaks for itself and the listener will 100% feel the seaside breeze on his face once the Bahia scats start rolling. Check out also, Claudio Roditi’s stylish trumpeting on this cut, you might just bottoms up the cognac and pour one more straight away. Sick on all counts.
Other tracks on this album that should not be missed are Night Mood, Before We Lose Tomorrow, Sails (Velas Icadas) – Toots Thielemans rendition of this on the harmonica is shit hot as well, Love Dance (Lembranca), Maos de Afeto and Believe What I Say. So…
Tangkap This!!!
-Crispian
