[engl] This is the incredibly rare and Coltrane influenced debut of Brazilian sax great Victor Assis Brasil (1945-1981) for the cult label Forma, of Roberto Quartin. Vitor Assis Brasil lead this session on January 11th 1966 with his quartet which featured the legendary pianist Tenório Jr plus double-bassist Edison Lôbo and drummer Chico Batera. It’s one of the greatest jazz albums ever recorded in Brazil and the highlights go to the originals and the wonderful João Donato tracks. Victor Assis Brasil was the best Brazilian jazzman of his generation, having being praised by international critics. Vitor Brasil showed early evidence of talent for music, excelling at the harmonica and the drums. In 1961, at age 16, he was presented with an alto saxophone. In 1965, while already a professional, Brasil recorded his first album, Desenhos, consolidating his pioneering role as a Brazilian jazz musician. He studied at Berklee College of Music and later taught improvisation technique in Brazil. During the following four years he spent in the U.S., Brasil wrote most of his 400 works. Also from that period are his albums Trajeto, Victor Assis Brasil Toca Jobim, Esperanto, Victor Assis Brasil Quinteto, and Pedrinho, his last one. His last three years of life were marked by noted international performances. This is Victor Assis Brasil – “Desenhos” (1966), for Forma, featuring the sax of Victor with the accompaniment of Tenório Júnior (piano), Edson Lobo, with the age of 19 (bass) and Chico Batera (drums). Victor had 19 years old at this recording session.

[engl] Second album, released in 1979, by French keyboard wizard Benoit Widemann (ex–Magma). "Tsunami" is an incredible mix of electronics and jazz–fusion with prog / avant–garde /minimal elements. Treated Minimoog, Oberheim synths, Rhodes, early computer sequencing plus bass, drums, guitar, sax... Featuring Jean–Pierre Fouquey (ex–Magma), Jean–Pierre Grasset (Verto) and Jean–Paul Ceccarelli among others. *Remastered sound, insert with liner notes / interview by Halfway Ritmo and photos.

[engl] First time since decades reissued on vinyl! 1957 was a year when jazz music faced another renewal from the already traditional bebop style towards more progressive territories with mystical melodies and more playful structures. Free jazz was already in sight but nobody could name it yet. The post bop movement and modal jazz came up and somewhere in between lies this record by cult saxophonist Yusef Lateef who had already released quite a few records by the time ?Jazz mood? came to birth. Some more adventurous and mystical melodies go hand in hand with relaxed and groovy classic bebop excursions from the schoolbook of modern jazz after 1950. But there is a certain dynamic coming with the music. Something that shows you the hunger for progression and the craving for new ground to explore. So you will find well familiar melodylines here played by a saxophone that is always close to break out of the standards. And the interplay of all instruments is just fantastic, right on the spot, tight and still free in certain moments. Yusef Lateef and his band paint pictures and tear your mind open to blow magic into your soul. There are passages here and there that go beyond the standard phrases and deprive you of your breath due to the passionate and lusty performance. All in all ?Jazz mood? is a melodic album and creates a dim and thought provoking atmosphere. Another killer true jazz album from the 1950s before the great freakout began, still easy to consume for mainstream listeners but also inspiring enough for the hipsters.

[engl] This record has first been released in 1956 as ?Byrd jazz? with Donald Byrd as declared band leader but there were several versions of it over the years. The last reissue has been about three decades ago and so it is more than time to go for another fresh print of this back row classic of the 1950s jazz scene. On these recordings we get some floating and grooving hard bop with an ever pulsating rhythm section, dueling tenor sax by Lateef and trumpet by Byrd plus solo slots for bass, drums and piano. The leading instruments generate a cheerful atmosphere and make this live album a blissful experience for every lover of the mid 50s hard bop sound. The passion of the musicians grabs the audience immediately and when the melodies pour out of your speakers you will be captured as well by this pure essence of jazz. Far from later modal and even free jazz monoliths these catchy tunes are quite easy to follow. The band is tight and this is a great advantage. Every note, every beat of the drums sits in the right place as if they have always been there and just had to be made audible by the band. It is indeed like the sculptor who already sees the glyph within the block of marble and just sets it free. The music plays itself through the instruments. Haunting and relaxed passages, cool melodies put into memorable structures. A classic among the hipsters and beatniks with their goatbeards, metal-rimmed glasses and berets drinking, tripping and philosophizing to the sound of this and many other albums that were made from jazz aficionados for their kind.