João Gilberto Prado Pereira de Oliveira was released in 1980 by João Gilberto. It was recorded in 1980 live on TV Globo. In English, that would be his entire Brazilian ancestral last name written on his studio album.
As the old saying goes, "the third time's the charm." This is indeed the third time the German label Accent has issued this coupling of Domenico Scarlatti's Stabat Mater with João Rodrigues Esteves' Missa a oito voces. The first time was in 1990, when the recording by Currende under the leadership of Erik van Nevel was new, and the second in 1998 as part of a box set containing this and several recordings by Concerto Palatino. No complaints here, though, as this is one of the finest discs Accent has to offer.
tan Getz made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1949 as part of a superstar bill that included the Woody Herman Orchestra, Nat "King" Cole, and Harry Belafonte. (Getz played in the saxophone section of the band, often referred to as Woody Herman's Second Herd.) He was already a Carnegie Hall regular when he joined forces with Brazilian guitarist and whispering vocalist João Gilberto for the live followup to their groundbreaking Getz/Gilberto album released just seven months before their October 1964 concert. Gilberto had made his debut two years previously as part of the now famous Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall concert—in which Getz also starred—that sparked the explosion of bossa nova in the US.
This very evocative 1965 recording session was a cause for celebration not only among critics but among the bossa nova-crazed audiences of Brazil and the U.S, and it sold quite well. Donato is a jazz pianist first, and his allegiances in harmony and melody come from there first and foremost. But rhythmically and in his phrasing, he comes from the generation of Brazilian musicians who developed the bossa nova as an art form. His touch is light, his settings are lush and laid-back, and his playing is as much or more from his left hand as his right. Solos on these records are wonderfully improvised, but they reflect the sweet, gorgeous melodies on the front line of these tunes. As such, Donato comes across as an elegant pianist and ensemble player, establishing his individual touch as a leader in that left hand rhythmic bent where he loves those shaded keys.
Throughout its nearly decade-long run, the G3 series of tours has always featured guitar wizards Satriani and Vai at the helm, with a mystery third guest always in the rotation to contrast against the mentor-and-student duo. Sometimes the results are complementary (Eric Johnson), and other times they're mildy theatrical and amusing (Yngwie Malmsteen). This time around the special guest star, Dream Theater's John Petrucci, finds himself in the middle of Tokyo and starting off the two-disc session. His "Glasgow Kiss" and "Damage Control" are both presented with great skill and technical precision, sometimes hitting too close to the mark, making his accuracy and his performance seem cold and calculated.
Nice, more light than emphatic Afro-Latin and jazz mixture by flutist Herbie Mann and composer/vocalist Joao Gilberto.