Batida Diferente
Norberto Goldberg
2006 - Norbert Goldberg
Many jazz artists miss the beauty of Brazilian music, focusing primarily on the bossa nova and samba, while softening those styles with smooth leanings. The general public enjoys a familiarity with these two Brazilian genres and most jazz musicians generally understand their performance practice. They become safe inclusions on a jazz album, overlooking the tremendous diversity inherent in Brazilian music. Many artists utilize strings and synthesizers behind bossa nova and samba, creating a commercially accessible sound. While some artists have found success with this formula, their search for pop musicality softens the overall sound and downplays the music’s rhythmic focus. After years of smooth bossa nova and samba, listeners have built a confused perception of Brazilian music, leading them to overlook influential Brazilian musicians and their work. Drummer Norberto Goldberg explores a variety of Brazilian styles an composers on Batida Diferente while walking a balance between smooth and rhythmic sounds.

Connecting With History Through Important Brazilian Composers
Goldberg includes compositions from a variety of important Brazilian composers. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Captain Bacardi” opens with a funky samba groove and a whistled melody that pays tribute to its composer. Guitarist Romero Lubambo moves into a short melodic solo, doubled by the whistling sound. As the solo progresses, the whistle evolves into a distracting synthesizer sound, but fortunately Goldberg’s strong groove maintains the song’s momentum. A fusion influenced baião groove moves assertively into Gabriela Anders’ vocal melody on Hermeto Pascoal’s “Bebé.” Anders deftly navigates the complex melody, guiding the band through interesting harmonies and rhythmic hits. Pianist Aloisio Aguiar alternates through variations on the melody and moving lines, building an interesting solo. The band provides some inspired accompaniment over an up-tempo samba as Goldberg cleverly blends two classic compositions, Joao Donato’s “Vamos n’essa” and the Ellington standard “Caravan.” Aguiar performs the first melody, transitioning into a jazz-tinged solo, and then a virtuosic and energetic improvisation from Lubambo. The group seamlessly moves to “Caravan,” providing Goldberg an opportunity to develop a tasteful statement, reflecting musicality, ability, and restraint. These songs establish Goldberg’s connection with Brazilian jazz history, moving the genre outside the traditional expectations of most jazz listeners.

Bossa Nova, Samba, and Commercial Possibilities
Several pieces play upon the public’s familiarity with both bossa nova and samba rhythms. Goldberg revisits Jobim with “Ela e Carioca,” driven by a classic bossa nova groove and Aguiar’s strong melodic sensibilities. Aguiar and Lubambo both contribute strong improvisations that exploit both the harmonic depth of the song and the relaxed rhythmic feel. Unfortunately, synth strings lie underneath the track, smoothing any edges and implying a commercial venture. A series of band hits and tasteful fills lead into a catchy and jazz inspired melody on “Batida Diferente.” Saxophonist Ofer Peled adds excitement to his solo through unique rhythmic placements against Goldberg’s driving samba groove. Guitarist Marc Kakon displays a strong jazz tone and phrasing while both pianist Gil Zohar and bassist Fernando Knopf contribute memorable improvisations. Goldberg opens “La Keta” with a colorful rubato solo before the band enters a smooth fusion groove, finding a cross between pop and baião. Daniel Freilberg’s Fender Rhodes solo wanders over an open space before solidifying his idea over a strong samba foundation. Freilberg develops his statement into a flurry of ideas, yet his musicality often gets lost in the instrument’s soft sound. These tracks reveal Goldberg’s awareness of the jazz world’s fascination with bossa nova and samba and it’s commercial possibilities.

Exploring Diverse Brazilian Styles
Goldberg also integrates a variety of approaches outside the two standard Brazilian jazz rhythms. Nilson Matta’s slapped bass line introduces a partido alto rhythm on “Less One” while Lubambo plays a repeated melody. Jeffery Lodin utilizes a muted trumpet sound for his synthesizer solo, loosing his blues phrasing in the sound’s grating nature. Lubambo infuses a rock energy into the song with a distorted guitar sound, fast runs, and soulful bends. A simple harmony and an up-lifting melody bring a relaxed feel to “Baião,” while Goldberg and Knopf’s driving groove move the song forward. Kakon balances rock ideas and tone with jazz phrasing, creating an inspiring voice in his improvisation. Zohar chooses a more subtle approach to his statement, developing his idea gradually with evolving melodies. Short angular melodic phrases separate aggressive drum fills from Goldberg on “See ‘ya,” leading into a smooth melody from Kakon. The rhythm section moves into a funk groove for Kakon’s solo, allowing him to flavor his jazz phrases with plentiful blues licks. The group finds an Afro-Cuban influenced rhythm for an interesting improvisation from Zohar, once again full of carefully constructed lines. These compositions show Goldbeg’s range, and help the jazz audience see the diversity in Brazilian music.

Clarifying Some Issues While Confusing Others
Goldberg clarifies the diversity of Brazilian Jazz by integrating various styles on Batida Diferente, while emphasizing the music’s commercial background with smooth sounds. His inclusion of baião, partido alto, and fusion rhythms expose Brazilian Jazz as a large world, full of diverse possibilities. When Goldberg does integrate bossa nova and samba rhythms, he smartly varies tempos and textures, instead of falling into typical jazz interpretations. Goldberg wisely intersperses important Brazilian composers between his own works, allowing for some historical perspective on the music. The repeated use of synthesizers and short, safe solos bring a commercial edge to the music, slightly downplaying its integrity. Each musician performs with authority and displays a cross-cultural knowledge that infuses their playing with both jazz and Brazilian aesthetics. Goldberg executes each Brazilian feel with a powerful groove and his overall grasp of percussion and style drive the music successfully. While the album suffers from the confines of commercial demands, it succeeds in exploring the greater world of Brazilian Jazz, gently pushing listeners into new realms of possibility.

———-
Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!

Stumble it!