Personnel:
Freddie Bryant (g), Chris Cheek (ts, ss), Steve Wilson (as, ss, fl, af), Edsel Gomez, Gilad (p), Avishai Cohen (b), Jorge Rossy (d)
Reference: FSWJ 008 CD
Bar code: 8427328425087
"The solo rendition of Jobim's 'Por Toda Minha Vida' is a gorgeous blend of delicate harmonics, etherial harmonies and rhythmic freedom... The title cut ('Boogaloo Brasileiro') has an incendiary groove and Freddie Bryant's original, 'Alone' has a brilliant guitar solo that builds in intensity and incorporates a spectrum of guitar devices. 'Boogaloo Brasileiro' offers a clear view of Freddie Bryant's many talents."
—Jim Fergeson (Jazz Times Magazine)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"Don't think I give out five stars lightly. No sirree...I thought it over, and Freddie Bryant's Boogaloo Brasileiro ("BB") deserves five stars. "BB" does provide that extra ounce of delight, perhaps through the deepening musicianship and re-appreciation of an extraordinarily promising talent at the beginning of his, hopefully, lifelong musical journey... Bryant's sound is distinctive... He stitches together "BB" with a Brazilian sensibility that values acoustic guitar... Especially rewarding are Bryant's meditative solos... Composed of musicians who are creating their own distinctive styles on CD's they lead...Bryant's talent and leadership compel the listener and make "BB" not just another Brazilian jazz album, but one that calls attention to an artist finally capturing deserved public attention."
—Don Williamson (www.52ndstreet.com)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Freddie Bryant has great musical genes. His mother was an opera singer and his father a pianist. He studied both classical and jazz composition and music and impressively graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College. He also holds a master's degree from the Yale School of Music and studied with acclaimed jazz guitarists Sal Salvador and Ted Dunbar. Bryant is one of those who manages to successfully combine the discipline of classical training with the more freewheeling improvisation of jazz. On this album of Brazilian and new age rhythms, there is a sense that while Bryant is reaching more toward the jazz side of background, he can't (and probably shouldn't) abandon his classical roots.
On his own compositions, like "Eyes Across the Ocean," one hears the delicacy of Frederick Delius' "On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring." There's no indication whether that link is deliberate, but it's there regardless. The classical background comes to the fore on Horace Silver's "Peace" and Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Por Toda Minha Vida." But this is not a classical album in a jazz wrapping. Listen to the group's performance of Miles Davis' "Solar," more than eight minutes of a thorough exploration, with Brazilian beat, and the plaintive improvisation above the melody on "You Don't Know What Love Is." Both electric and acoustic guitar are represented, with emphasis on the latter. Bryant's technique speaks for itself as he manages to avoid those annoying pings that often clutter up acoustic guitar performances.
Bryant's cohorts in this his third album as a leader are fully supportive. Reed players Chris Cheek and Steve Wilson stay with the program, fitting in with the state of serenity created by Bryant's guitar. One hears Edsel Gomez's piano, but it does not dominate. The rhythm section of Avishai Cohen, Jordi Rossy, and Gilad makes a major contribution to this album's success, handling the sometimes tricky rhythmic patterns with ease. All in all, the music on this album is peaceful, introspective and fresh and recommended."
—Dave Nathan (All Music Guide)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Mature and stylish...a heady mix of formidable jazz and Brazilian-infected rhythms... Bryant's third release to date as a leader... Marks the guitarist as someone to keep an eye on in the coming years."
—Chris Hovan (www.allaboutjazz.com)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
"Bryant is a gifted guitarist who is classically trained with jazz chops to spare... Though he is still in his mid-30s, Bryant's compositions... Display a remarkable maturity and grace. "BB" is a sumptuous feast for both the mind and the ears."
—James Lamperetta, The Saratogian
