Paul Desmond - 1969 - From The Hot Afternoon (Verve By Request Edition 2000)

Paul Desmond's first genuine all-Brazilian album under the Creed Taylor signature was a beauty, a collection of songs by the then-moderately known Edu Lobo and the emerging giant Milton Nascimento, then only in his early twenties. All Desmond has to do is sit back and ride the Brazilian grooves while lyrically ruminating on whatever pops into his head. It sounds so effortless -- until you try it yourself. The swirling, often gorgeous orchestral arrangements are by Don Sebesky (one CD edition mistakenly gives Claus Ogerman credit on the cover), Airto Moreira leads the samba-flavored percussion forces, and Lobo and his wife Wanda de Sah appear on three of Lobo's four songs. Lobo's "To Say Goodbye," "Circles," and "Martha and Romao" have exactly the brand of wistful sadness that Desmond could communicate so well; on the former, de Sah has to sing well below the register with which she is comfortable, and the strain is painfully obvious. Some of Nascimento's best early tunes are here, including the tense title track, the popping "Catavento," and "Canto Latino." "Catavento" inspires a particularly inventive solo from Desmond where he pulls out one of his age-old tricks, quoting "St. Thomas." This 2000 Verve "By Request" edition adds no less than six alternate takes to the package. (AllMusic)

Track list:
01 - Outubro (October)
02 - Gira Girou (Round 'n' Round)
03 - Faithful Brother
04 - To Say Goodbye
05 - From The Hot Aftenoon
06 - Circles
07 - Martha & Romao
08 - Catavento
09 - Canto Latino (Latin Chant)
10 - Crystal Illusions
11 - Gira Girou (Round 'n' Round) [Alternative Take]
12 - Faithful Brother [Alternative Take]
13 - From The Hot Aftenoon [Alternative Take]
14 - Catavento [Alternative Take]
15 - Canto Latino (Latin Chant) [Alternative Take]
16 - From The Hot Aftenoon [Alternative Take]

Personnel:
Paul Desmond - alto saxophone
Edu Lobo - guitar, vocal
Dorio Ferreira - guitar
Ron Carter - bass
Airto Moreira - drums, percussion
Marky Markowitz, Marvin Stamm - trumpet, flugelhorn
Paul Faulise - bass trombone
Jimmy Buffington - French horn
Phil Bodner, George Marge - saxophone, clarinet, oboe
Don Hammond, Hubert Laws - flute, alto flute
Stan Webb, Jr. - flute alto flute, percussion
Pat Rebillot - electric piano
Jack Jennings - percussion
Lewis Eley, Paul Gershmman, George Ockner, Eugene Orloff, Raoul Poliakin, Max Pollikoff, Matthew Raimondi, Sylvan Shulman, Avram Weiss - violin
Charles McCracken, George Ricci - cello
Margaret Ross - harp
Wanda De Sah, unknown male - vocal
Don Sebesky - arranger
Robert Honablue - engineer

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