Brazilian guitarist
Bola Sete is an icon among musicians, and many jazz and Brazilian music fans. In 1959, after establishing himself with six albums,
Sete emigrated to the U.S. playing Sheraton lounges across the country. He joined
Dizzy Gillespie's band in San Francisco, then worked with
Vince Guaraldi, and finally established himself as a solo act and bandleader, evidenced beautifully on 1966's
Bola Sete at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Sete's canny approach seamlessly weds classical and Brazilian folk traditions with modern jazz, Latin grooves, emerging MPB, Anglo pop, and swinging improvisation. Later offerings such as 1975's
Ocean (later
Ocean Memories under
Sete's given name
Djalma De Andrade) and 1985's
Jungle Suite -- as well as posthumous releases on widow
Anne Sete's
Samba Moon label -- offer a more experimental, but arguably more innovative aesthetic.
This three-disc box set on
Tompkins Square was produced by
Resonance Records'
Zev Feldman. He secured these previously unissued, beautifully recorded tapes from the famed Penthouse archive. Across the three annual performances, the trio remains the same:
Sete on guitars with bassist
Sebastiao Neto and drummer
Paulinho Magalhaes. The material reflects engaging set lists filled with bossa and samba hits, classical pieces, and some jazz and pop tunes -- some played solo. (There are few duplicates.) Disc one offers a smoking version of
Baden Powell's "ConsolaçaÌ?o," where all the trio's strengths are on display. The swinging interplay cuts across samba, blues, and hard bop. After two
Bach pieces,
Sete delivers his immortal original "Soul Samba." The fluidity of his playing prompts the percussionist to double time as
Neto extrapolates on the changes. Disc one closes with a dazzling solo rendition of
Ernesto Lecuona's iconic "Malaguena." Disc two, from 1967, is entirely different.
Sete's reading of
Johnny Mandel's "The Shadow of Your Smile" showcases spectacular melodic improvisation. He follows with a nearly danceable bossa take on
Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll." The solo approach to
Luiz Bonfa's "Manha de Carnaval," reveals its roots in afoxe and classical music and swings. The middle section is filled with Brazilian jams including
Tom Jobim's "Samba De Orfeu" and
Marcos Valle's "Samba de Verao" before closing with dazzling improvisations on classical and flamenco tunes. The 1968 concert commences with the trio blazing through
Haroldo Lobo's "Tristeza" before
Sete renders a tender version of
Jobim's "Corcovado."
Powell's classic samba "Deve Ser Amor" and dark "ConsolaçaÌ?o" are played with fiery intensity.
Roberto Menescal's "O Barquinho" is rendered with warmth and humor while
Jobim's "One Note Samba," grooves its way into a breezy "Satin Doll."
Samba in Seattle offers stellar sound quality. Its booklet contains rare photos from
Anne's collection,
Feldman's interviews with her and
Carlos Santana (caretaker of
Sete's guitars), and essays and reflections by historian
Greg Casseus, musicians
George Winston and
Lalo Schifrin, and a reprint of
John Fahey's 1976 essay for Guitar Player.
Sete was a groundbreaking guitarist; his music is deserving of far wider study and recognition. This fantastic box offers plenty of evidence for wider reconsideration. ~ Thom Jurek
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