Clare Fischer Sureging Ahead

One of our favorite albums ever from the great Clare Fischer - and one of the first to really show his special talents at their best! The sound here is a wonderful blend of jazz, Latin, and Brazilian modes - and in addition to piano, Clare plays plenty of organ on the date - which bristles with this cool, clear sound amidst larger backdrops that have a very driving feel! There's lots of percussive energy at the bottom of the bigger group tracks - thanks to work from Latin percussionists Carlos Vidal, Cuco Martinez, Chino Valdes, and Rudy Calzado - and some of the other cuts feature a smaller group, but still with lots of great percussion! Clare's organ has this feel that's very different than the usual Hammond jazz style - and really sounds great throughout - on a batch of tracks that includes a key reading of his classic "Morning" - plus the cuts "Manteca", "Favela", "Afro Blue", "Dulzura", and "Negrita".

A sublime little set all the way through - an early 60s date from the west coast scene - and one that was almost as important to that side of the country as the Verve bossa records were to New York! Bud Shank's in the lead on alto sax - no flute at all this time around - blowing sharp and soulfully, in a way that's even more deft than most of his other albums! But the equal star here is the young Clare Fischer - who plays piano in the group, and also contributed a host of original tunes to the set - fresh numbers that are way different than the usual "bossa-ized" standards, or American remakes of Brazilian classics. Ralph Pena is a key member of the group on bass - and Larry Bunker plays some vibes as well. Titles include "Joao", "Pensativa", "Samba Guapo", "Samba Da Borboleta", and "Que Mais?".

Caetano Rodrigues and Charles Gavin book has an amazing section with records from non-Brazilian artists performing Bossa Nova. Particularly, Charlie Byrd LPs are fantastic with those covers with parrots and macaws with some Brazilian spots on background. Among the several gems available there, Caetano selected a special one, Clare Fischer - Clare Fischer Plays Antonio Carlos Jobim and Clare Fischer, So Danco Samba (1965), for World Pacific with Clare Fischer (piano, organ), Dennis Budimir (guitar), Bob West (bass) and Colin Bailey (drums). "This America pianist really tried to decipher the refined language of Bossa Nova. He was not one of the pioneers of the new style as great names of the international jazz scene had already tackled it. However, Fischer's merit lay in his choice of repertoire, almost entirely based on the songs by Tom Jobim, bringing elements of jazz into the traditional Brazilian flavor…