LIVIO ALMEIDA

BRASILIA SESSIONS

Zoho Records

Livio Almeida, tenor saxophone/composer/arranger; Misael Silvestre, keyboards; Daniel Castro, bass; Pedro Almeida, drums.

This album starts out like a party.  You hear the noise of the crowd, happy voices, with the music fading in like a Hollywood scripted scene.  I am swept up in the tenor saxophone energy of Livio Almeida and his wonderful group of musicians as they play “Sambasus.” Daniel Castro offers an impressive bass solo during this samba arrangement.

Almeida, a Brazilian tenor player, arrived on New York’s jazz scene and quickly put the jazz community on notice with his infectious tone and tenacious attitude on his horn. Soon after, he was hired by the great Arturo O’Farrill and began touring with O’Farrill’s various groups.  In fact, Almeida’s 2016 album release titled, “Action and Reaction” was produced by O’Farrill and received rave reviews.

The second tune on this scintillating album is titled “Partido Cerrado” and it has an infectious melody.  It’s another Almeida composition that swings hard, this time giving Misael Silvestre, on keyboards an opportunity to showcase his exceptional talents. But it’s always Livio Almeida who carries the power and excitement of this group. It blows from the bell of his horn relentlessly, like a Brazilian hurricane.

“Brasilia Afro Samba” is named for the city where Almeida was born and raised. Brasilia is the Federal Capital of Brazil. His original composition builds on a strong bass groove and an Afro-Samba beat that pushes the music forward.  The group actually recorded this project in Almeida’s hometown of Brasilia. All the first three songs show the strength and beauty of Almeida’s composer skills.

“I wanted the melodic intricacies to emulate Brasilia’s architecture,” Livo Almeida explained the inspiration for writing this samba.

“Folhas Secas” (translates to dry leaves) is a beautiful ballad that spotlights the exquisite sound of Almeida’s tenor saxophone.  He plays with grand emotion. I’ve heard Elis Regina sing this popular song, but Almeida’s instrumental rendition is wonderful. It brings new appreciation to this Nelson Cavaquinho composition.

Every song on this album is a sparkling gem.  These musicians pull all the colors from their instruments, from ruby reds to emerald greens, citrine yellow to turquoise blue. This is a rainbow of musical brilliance that showcases Livio Almeida’s colorful compositions, his brilliance on tenor saxophone, and his virtuosity in arranging.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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