More than a decade after their hugely successful
collaboration classic ‘Getz/Gilberto’, tenor saxophone supremo Stan Getz and
guitarist and genre creator Joao Gilberto decided in 1976 to re-unite and
re-ignite the magic. Taking the winning combination of Antonio Carlos Join’s
music and the musical arrangements of Oscar Carlos Neves, they were poised to conquer
the world a second time.
Unfortunately for the duo, the musical world in the
late-seventies was a vastly different one, with the current trends of more electric-based
music in the form of disco, rock and fusion dominating. As such, on its initial
release, the disc was completely over-looked and eventually largely forgotten. This
though, even more unfortunately, is not some long-lost masterpiece worthy of
re-evaluation and long overdue for good notices. It is instead a crushing
disappointment.
Joining the two legends are a strong and eclectic
band, including drummers Billy Hart and Grady Tate, bassist Steve Swallow,
pianist Albert Dailey. Brazilian percussionists Airto, Ray Armando And Ruben
Bassini also appear in order to add some samba colour to proceedings. Astrud
Gilberto notably does not re-appear for vocal duties, largely in part due to
her and Getz’s well-known affair, and so this befalls singer Heliosa Buarque de
Hollanda, otherwise known as Miucha. Alongside the more than capable band, we
get typically wonderful Jobim compositions such as ‘Waters Of March’ and ‘Falsa
Bahiana’.
And yet, it’s a total mess. Getz, who should rightly
be remembered as ‘The Sound’, possessing one of the most beautiful tones on any
instrument, here is in a total slump. His sound is awful and bordering on the
obnoxious, badly recorded and ultimately horrifically produced; for some reason
the producer choosing to make Getz four times as loud as anybody else. Worse
still is Miucha’s singing. Where Astrud Gilberto had under-sung, pretty much
breathing her words, her style had fit the relaxed vibe perfectly. By strong
contrast her replacement here decides some ‘free’ and off-key vocalising is the
way forward. Not only does it not fit with Join’s music, but it just sounds terrible.
Ultimately, it’s the slap-dash feel that scuppers the
record. With most tracks sounding under-rehearsed and most likely first takes,
the afore-mentioned ‘Falsa Baiana’ cuts in loudly after a saxophone
introduction and reeks of a tape cut-and-paste. ‘Eu Ven Da Bahia’ even ends
with a voice clearly say “…felt good out there” before being cut off, enhancing
the suspicions that whoever was behind this recording decided to do it in the
quickest time possible, with minimal effort on making this a polished listening
experience. All the more surprising given that this record bears the name of
one of the worlds best producers and editors, Teo Macero.
Sub-par on every level, there are some relative ‘high’
points - ‘Ligia’ allows Gilberto full reign, his singing and guitar both
top-rate, and the version of ‘Double Rainbow’ here being the clear highlight,
benefitting from a really very good performance by Miucha. Ultimately whatever
saving graces there are here, are due purely to Joao Gilberto - his beautiful
guitar playing on ‘Joao Marcello’ contrasting sharply with the under-whelming poor
form that Getz displays.
If you’re a fan of Bossa Nova, Getz or Gilberto, then
you may be interested in this album, but truly it is the worst example of all
three. ‘The Best Of Two Worlds’ was over-looked on its initial release, and
frankly it’s best to leave it that way. Bearing the hallmarks of a poorly
planned, badly executed and hurried recording, it’s one for die-hard collectors
only, with just Gilberto stepping up, but even he is still marred by the lacklustre
production. Apparently hating the results, Gilberto is best served anywhere
else, and it is interesting to note that his 1973 watermark ‘Joao Gilberto’ actually
contains many of the same songs here, and they are all undoubtedly of better
quality. Similarly for Getz, this decade as a whole was just not a good one,
whereas his work from the fifties, sixties and mid-to-late eighties is largely
of the highest standard.
Most likely, given the animosity between them,
recorded with Getz and Gilberto in separate studios, in as quick a time as
possible, and spliced together at a later date (just as badly as the cover
photos), it certainly sounds like it too. A disappointing missed opportunity,
this really is one album that should be scrubbed from history.
**
No comments:
Post a Comment