Marcos Valle & Stacy Kent Ao Vivo

This double release is in memory of an outstanding musician who passed away too soon. Victor Assis Brasil, the legendary young Brazilian saxophonist. Born in 1945 and brother of classical pianist João Carlos Assis Brasil, he conquered the world in Brazil, Europe and the USA with his unique talent on the saxophone. He studied at Berklee and when back in Brazil he recorded albums, participated on various projects, and taught improvisation at the Conservatório Brasileiro de Música in Rio de Janeiro. He passed away at age 35 in 1981.

This is one of the BEST Brazilian bands around. You do not have to know Portuguese to like it. However, the lyrics are excellent. It is a pain you know where to classify anything Brazilian, but "rock" or "fusion" will not be that far from the truth. Song number eleven has a special participation of another Brazilian band: SEPULTURA. Song number 5 deserves special attention (My Soul or " The peace I do not want"). It talks about the price we pay for living according to what the rest of society considers "normal". For somebody from a huge Brazilian city, it hurts deep and causes a lot of anger. There are no dirty words. "Me deixa" is a "light" song. Even for a Portuguese-speaking person, the lyrics are tought to understand due to the beat, but they are worth a web search. The vocalist "Falcão" is one of the most intelligent and politically engaged Brazilian artists around.

This CD shows the maestro with his ”Banda Nova” (New Band) at the International Jazz Festival in Canada, in 1986. Bossa-nova classics are tantamount to Jobim’s songs and to Brazilian identity throughout the world: ”Бgua de beber” (Drinking water), ”Chega de saudade” (I’ve had enough of missing you), ”A felicidade” (Happiness), ”Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema) are songs composed together with Vinicius de Moraes.; ”Samba de uma nota sу” (Samba with only one note) was written in partnership with Newton Mendonзa. . This CD contains also songs with both, lyrics and melodies, composed by Jobim after the beginning of the decade of the 60ies: ”Wave”, ”Samba do aviгo” (Samba of the airplane), ”Waters of March”, an English version of "Бguas de marзo", tranlated by Tom himself. ”Two Kites”, ”Gabriela”, ”Falando de amor” (Speaking of love), and ”Borzeguim" (Buskin) are composition from the 70ies and 80ies,period during which Tom used to come to Brazil to revisit Rio de Janeiro and make the souls of all Brazilians sing.