NEW RELEASES: MARIA BETHANIA – ABRACAR E AGRADECER; VINNIE SPERRAZZA - JUXTAPOSITION; KENNY WASHINGTON – MOANIN

MARIA BETHANIA – ABRACAR E AGRADECER

The beautiful image on the cover is a great summation of the sound of this set – as the live performance has all the power and majesty that Maria Bethania brought to her work, right from the start – but also maybe a bit more warmth than we'd normally expect! That spontaneous smile that Maria gives us on the cover seems to grace much of the performance within – and which makes her seem far younger than the 70s years the concert was intended to celebrate! The group is excellent, too – a bit looser and more down to earth than some of the larger arrangements used on other Bethania concerts – with bassist Jorge Helder at the helm of a septet that makes nice use of percussion and guitar. Titles include "Eterno Em Mim", "Gita", "A Tua Presenca Morena", "Nossos Momentos", "Dindi", "Rosa Dos Ventos", "TAtuagem", "Meu Amore E Marinheiro", "Camara De Ecos", "Alguma Voz", "Quixabeira", "Reconcavo", and "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien".  ~ Dusty Groove

VINNIE SPERRAZZA - JUXTAPOSITION

Vinnie Sperrazza's the drummer in the group – and he leaves plenty of room in his sound for the great work of Bruce Barth on piano and Chris Speed on tenor sax – both of whom have a lot to do with the shape of the record! At times, Vinnie's drumming is quite subtle – almost as if he's more content to be a leader, and an excellent songwriter – given his beautiful compositions on the set. Bassist Peter Brendler moves the groove as much as the drums – and with a nice current of soul – leaving Barth and Speed to block out these bold shapes and tones. Titles include "Chimes", "St Jerome", "One Hour", "Warm Winter", "Hellenized", "Solitary Consumer", and "House On Hoxie Road" – all originals by Sperrazza!  ~ Dusty Groove

KENNY WASHINGTON – MOANIN

Not the jazz drummer Kenny Washington, but a singer with the same name – really stretching out nicely here in a live set recorded in Copenhagen! Kenny's got a warm glow to his style, which gets a nice edge on the long performances here – recorded with an overseas trio that features piano by Jacob Christoffersen – a group with a strong swing that really seems to inspire Washington's vocals, especially when he takes off with a bit of improvisation. Titles include "Moanin", "Sittin On The Dock Of The Bay", "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good", "What Is This Thing Called Love", and "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans".  ~ Dusty Groove