The Spotlight Series highlights upcoming Latin Jazz musicians that have yet to reach national recognition. Many of these musicians thrive in local scenes and some tour in support of releases. All these musicians contribute greatly to the overall Latin Jazz scene, and they deserve our “spotlighted” attention.

Building an original Latin Jazz vocal presence around bossa nova requires careful composition, recognition of established traditions, and a strong technical command of the voice. Bossa nova composers quickly established a command of sophisticated jazz harmonies and engaging melodies, marking a standard level of excellence within the genre. Inserting a bossa nova rhythm underneath basic chord changes and bland melodies instantly creates a generic sound. Lyrically, composers created poetry as opposed to simple stories, a tradition emerging songwriters need to respect. Bossa nova performers executed vocal performances with the melodic intelligence of jazz, the rhythmic syncopation of Brazil, and the calm sway of cool jazz. A lack of one element creates a distinctly different musical sensation that often sounds misguided and contrived. The music formula that constitutes bossa nova often escapes young artists, who tend to oversimplify the genre. Vocalist Mari Rosa demonstrates an impressive command over the genre on Honeyspot, presenting a tasteful combination of original songs and traditional material.

Modern Songwriting Within The Bossa Nova Tradition
Rosa’s original bossa nova compositions reflect her deep knowledge of bossa nova and her roots in the jazz vocal tradition. She demonstrates her ability to write lyrics in Portuguese through the medium tempo “O Xodinho (Little Flirt).” Rosa weaves a long and connected melody through lush harmonies and rhythm section accents. Trumpet player Eric Bloom makes a short and restrained statement until Rosa revisits the melody with a new intensity. Bloom’s muted solo sits comfortably in a slow and subdued bossa nova to open “So Fine (Ooh la la).” Rosa’s English lyrics and melody reflect an influence from the American songbook of standards, with a coy and confident performance. Bloom takes his time exploring the chord changes, eventually leaving room for Rosa to smolder over the melody with class and style. Rosa strikes a balance between jazz and bossa nova with unique placement of emphasis in “Have You Seen Luis Lately?” Pianist Ben Zecker builds an extended solo through rhythmic development that draws response from his rhythm section partners. Bassist Hogyu Hwang takes a melodic approach to a solo full of sequential phrases and quick runs, leading into Rosa’s strong restatement of the lyrics. After a rubato interplay between Bloom and Zecker, Rosa begins “Outerspace Girl” over a subtle jazz waltz. The song soon moves into a medium tempo bossa nova, full of witty lyrics that connect love, 8-track tapes, and aliens. These topics fit together in an odd, but creatively modern way that displays Rosa’s lyrical insight. Each track displays a different side of Rosa’s songwriting ability, maintaining her modern voice in the context of tradition.

Personal Visions of Important Songs
Rosa respects the tradition established by her elders through several strong performances of standards. Drummer Zach Field introduces an elegant bolero to open the band’s interpretation of “Bésame Mucho.” Rosa boldly states the familiar melody in a serious tone, full of operatic vibrato; her control over the melody creates a commanding presence. Zecker reverently plays a short solo, utilizing tipico phrasing and short rhythmic ideas. As Rosa returns with the melody, the band subtly builds its dynamic without loosing the sensual mood. Rosa approaches Jobim’s “Chega de Saudade” with an understated simplicity, dwelling upon the song’s natural beauty. Zecker responds to her mood, beginning his solo reflectively and building into an aggressive melodic phrase. The band shrinks back down to a backdrop as Rosa grabs the song and shifts the mood to her original feeling. She attacks the rhythmic interplay at the beginning of Jobim’s “Brigas Nunca Mais,” setting the tone for an assertive interpretation. Zecker immediately pushes this feeling into his solo with syncopated phrases and tense melodies. As the band ends the piece, they truly demonstrate their understanding of bossa nova; the rhythm section works into a quiet frenzy while Rosa maintains a cool feeling to the melody. Bloom creates a twisting melody through the down tempo introduction on “So Nice,” until Rosa enters with the English lyrics. Singing in her native language she phrases quite differently; she stretches words and embellishes melodies, following the lineage of great jazz singers. Bloom creates a contrasting statement, moving quickly through scalar notes, moving back towards Rosa’s tasteful statement of the melody. Both Rosa and her band display their knowledge of jazz and Latin music, creating personal versions of important songs.

Several Steps Outside Bossa Nova
Rosa also steps outside the bossa nova genre with several pieces rooted in various jazz styles. Field swishes brushes through a very slow tempo on “Damn You,” as the rhythm section colors the introduction with plenty of space. Rosa smolders through a lyric reflecting lost love, and she utilizes the slow tempo to stretch and twist lyrics dramatically. She touches upon torch singing, but her emotional content and purity of tone maintains a higher integrity as a jazz vocalist. Zecker approaches his solo in the same way, creating lines full of space that play off Rosa’s artistry. “Honeyspot” walks a line between bossa nova and Latin fusion as the rhythm section slyly adds an implied funk. Rosa’s song structure and lyrics coupled with thick overdubbed vocal harmonies lean towards a pop aesthetic. Still, the strength of her voice and Zecker’s strong harmonic support keeps this song fully in the jazz spectrum. Zecker’s short solo previews the melody over a ballad foundation on Rosa’s “You Mean The World To Me.” Rosa’s songwriting touches classic jazz deeply here and provides her the ability to showcase your vocal skills. She expresses powerful emotional content with very little motion; she jumps dynamic levels drastically, easily creating contrast. Bloom and Zecker once again enjoy Rosa’s compositions as improvisatory vehicles, developing solid statements before her commanding presence brings the song to an end. These pieces add depth to Rosa’s repertoire and highlight different pieces of her vast musical skills.

A Mature Musical Concept and Developed Artistry
Honeyspot displays Rosa’s mature musical concept and studied performance abilities; a combination that serves her well and respects the bossa nova tradition. As a composer, Rosa visits rich harmonic material and shapes melodies around interesting contours. Her lyrical abilities present common themes of love through new phrases, full of wit and creativity. At the same time, Rosa writes with a modern sensibility that keeps her music firmly planted in the twenty-first century. Her music implies a pop sensibility without fully diving into the shallow depths of commercial appeal. Rosa’s vocal skills shine at every point; she sings with a pure tone, a serious nature, and an emotional nuance that completes each song fully. Her band consistently provides the right amount of depth, playing simply, complimenting the song, and supporting Rosa. Both Rosa and her band understand the bossa nova tradition, and play within the bounds of tradition while asserting a unique voice. Rosa presents a complete picture of her musical personality framed within the bossa nova, a skillful task that reflects a highly developed artistry.

Stumble it!