Musicians: Mary Fettig (saxes, flute), Marcos Silva (pianos, synth, tamborim, shakers, woodblocks, triangle, repinique, handclap, shells), Chico Pinheiro (guitars), Scott Thompson (electric bass), Celso Alberti (drums, handclap, caxixi), Alex Calatayud (pandeiro), Michael Spiro (congas, guiro, chimes, shells), Claudia Villella (vocals)
Review:
Veteran saxophonist/flutist Mary Fettig is a name known to many of the great icons in the Latin and jazz corners. Having played with such brilliantly talented luminaries as Tito Puente, Roy Obiedo, Stan Kenton, and Flora Purim, Fettig’s resume is one at which to marvel and behold. Her latest effort, Brazilian Footprints, is a smooth, delicate, and exotic trip to the South American wonderland.
There is such fluidity and tender grace in Fettig’s style that one would have to be absolutely tone deaf or so very outside the realm of good jazz as to not be able to appreciate this quality production. There are tunes for everyone here. If sultry rhythm is what you seek, the opening track, “Take the RR Train,” written by pianist Marcos Silva (as are many of the tunes here), will definitely whet your palate. Then, there are melodic tunes like the gentle melt-in-your-ear “Nova” for those seeking the mood. Never is there a moment in this set where any of the tunes venture outside the Brazilian imagery that this classy jazz backdrop brings with it. Cheery, subdued in places, but always as fresh and refreshing as the morning sun.
Brazilian Footprints is truly a mood-enhancing album as exotic as a Brazilian sunset and worthy of more than a little of your time.
Tracks: Take the RR Train, Nova, No Balanco do Jequibau, Baixixe, Jequie, Neguinha, Waterfalls, Inspiracao na Esquina, Gliders, The Monster and the Flower
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