Jazz Samba Encore, the third installment of master saxophonist Stan Getz in his foray into the Bossa Nova style, is one of the strongest albums within his impressive discography. Known primarily as a cool jazz stylist of the West Coast variety, Getz was also one of the few American jazz musicians to put the new Brazilian form of jazz known Bossa Nova onto the radar of American jazz and music enthusiasts in the 1960s. In this outing with Bossa Nova guitarist Luis Bonfa, Getz and crew create an album that is true to the authentic Bossa sound, without watering it down for American ears or the palates of studio execs.
But what exactly is Bossa Nova, you may be asking? While some would label it as a particular form of samba (a highly rhythmic form of Brazilian music), I prefer to see it as a sub-genre of jazz that is rooted in samba. To my ear, it is the harmony that dictates genre more so than the rhythm, and Bossa Nova is rooted in jazz harmony. It should be clear then, by what has been said thus far, that this Brazilian form of jazz blends two seemingly disparate musical tropes: Latin-tinged samba rhythms and jazz harmony. Played on nylon string guitars with a whimsical attitude and sometimes accompanied by tasteful female vocals, it creates an other-worldly sound that is hard to imitate, at least in an honest way.
While listening to Bossa you can almost sense the rising and receding of the ocean’s tide and feel the cool ocean breeze on a warm summer day. Historically this makes sense because Bossa Nova’s birthplace was the beach town of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And although I usually do not cite nature as an influence, it certainly is the last piece of the puzzle in understanding this particular genre. You can literally hear the beach in this form of music. I would even go so far as to say that the coming and going of the tide had an effect on Bossa Nova’s form of rhythm, which is a relaxed swaying back and forth, compared to the slightly more demanding pulse of (American) jazz’s swung rhythm. In fact, an interesting study could be done on how different forms of jazz were influenced by environment: bebop, which is more aggressive and fast paced grew up in the cities, while Bossa, which came of age on the beach, is more laid back and carefree. But that is another topic for another day. So, let’s get down to brass tacks and look at the album itself.
Jazz Samba Encore is one of those records that is an album in the true sense of the word. Far from being random assortment of strong singles mixed with some sub-par filler, this collaboration carries a substantial mood throughout the entire piece, and is dictated by its own inner logic. It was for very good reason that Stan Getz was known as “The Sound”, and the remarkable, breathy tone he was able to wrestle out of his tenor sits perfectly amidst the flowing, yet sometimes biting, bossa rhythms of Bonfa’s guitar. Coupled with the woody cross-stick style drumming and ethereal vocals of Maria Toledo, this album drips with atmosphere from the opening track to the closing note.
“Sambalero”, the first tune on this epic album, sets the stage for everything that is to come. Right as the curtain rises, we hear Toledo’s beautiful background vocals floating overtop the rhythm of a nylon string guitar, and the listener is transported to another place, far away, where troubles melt and stress no longer exists. Getz’s statement of the melody is cool but firm, and his solo is reserved yet carries a great deal of emotional weight. Bonfa’s solo is also reserved, but in a way that is appropriate to the music: it serves the tune as opposed to dominating it.
The album’s second song (“So Danco Samba”) is no doubt the strongest, and this on account of its delectable melody. Played at a little faster pace than the first track, this one is sure to get your attention. Getz first solo meanders around the melody, which is quite enjoyable considering its great beauty. But in his second solo he comes out swinging, playing more to the tune’s harmonic structure as opposed to its melody, until the solo’s end when he tastefully alludes to the song’s gorgeous melody once again.
“O Morrow Nao Tem Vez” is the longest piece on the album, and although it starts out slow, its power builds. The opening melody is complex, and is composed in an A-B-A structure, with a long A section that is contrasted with a more lighthearted B section that really works well. However, where the rubber really meets the road is on Getz’s second solo. Coming in after Bonfa’s more relaxed improvisation, Getz plays the opposite end of the spectrum, injecting his solo with vigor and energy. At around the 4:50 mark, he plays an incredible blues-infused motif which he repeats a few times, before pivoting with a descending chromatic flutter to another second bluesy-motif which is repeated. After this moment of improvisational genius, Getz continues to keep the energy high until his solo melts back into the tune’s opening melody. These last few minutes of “O Morrow Noa Tem Vez” are the uncontested climax of the entire album, in spite of “So Danco Samba” being the strongest tune. And what really created this musical climax was the fact that, for a couple of choruses on this tune, Getz really stepped into his American-character, bringing a more driving, bluesy, and swinging feel to his solo which is juxtaposed perfectly with the flowing, bossa rhythm section. If Getz had tried to pull this off on every tune it would have destroyed the feel of the album, and would no longer have been a true piece of Bossa Nova history. But because he used great reserve and taste in the majority of his phrasing and attack on Jazz Samba Encore, when he did step outside the box and bring his American sensibilities to the table, he truly hit it out of the park.
Although I believe these three aforementioned tracks are the strongest on the record, to listen to them in isolation would miss the entire point of Jazz Samba Encore. This is an album that was intended to be heard from start to finish in one sitting, and, when possible, quite close to the ocean.
Genre: Bossa Nova (jazz)
Further Listening: Luis Bonfa, Solo in Rio