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BRAZILIAN BREEZES ...Mostly Jobim Lydia Gray with Ed Eastridge Betty's daughter Lydia Gray has musical wisdom in her blood - a heritage that comes shining
through in Bazilian Breezes. With respectful delight, Lydia Gray and Ed
Eastridge handle Antonio Carlos Jobim's masterful songs (and several others)
very carefully. Each recording is crafted, arranged, recorded, mastered, and
produced beautifully to make this a must-have CD for any music lover's
collection. By teaming up with Ed Eastridge, Lydia Gray creates musical
magic. It is as if they have worked together for 25 years! Just a
spectacular debut solo effort.
"This CD is bursting with beautiful music and sung with a style and grace not often seen in todays' generation." A Brief Word From Lydia Gray: Thank you to all who have been so supportive during this project, especially Ed who is a true artist and amazing collaborator and to his family who made me feel a part of them! A special thanks to all the musicians who worked so hard to bring this CD together. Blessings and thanks to Carolyn Bardos, who got us together and wouldn't let us stop! A thousand thanks to Scott and Suzanne- you both are the best! A very special thank you to all who helped with the technical parts of the CD, especially David Grossberg, Jim Baldassare, Bruno Rinaldi and Rodolpho Franconi, Juliana Lafemina Steagall and Tony Monte - I could not have done this without each of you. Finally for my family, words cannot express the joy and love you bring to my life. Mom, Dad, Dick, Kathy and 'the Brood', Elisabeth, Carlos & my Spanish family, and for my angels Stephen, Katie and Nicholas: thank you all for believing and loving me! - Lydia
Track listings:
1. Wave - Antonio Carlos Jobim About Brazilian Breezes
Recorded at: Vital Records, Thetford, Vermont Review for ALL MUSIC GUIDE, by Steven Loewy, July 12, 2004
Considering that her mother is the gifted swing singer, Betty Johnson, it is perhaps not entirely surprising that Lydia Gray displays the extraordinary talent she demonstrates here. Most of the songs are popular melodies penned by Antonio Carlos Jobim, arranged beautifully by guitarist Ed Eastridge, and sung by Gray in a distinctly dry voice with a slightly behind the beat delivery. She sings most of the pieces in English, with little, if no improvisation, but she infuses almost every tune with bittersweet inflections that make her interpretations so engaging. Her voice is clearly influenced by Susannah McCorkle, and Gray's rendition of "Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)" compares favorably to McCorkle's spectacular recorded version on Concord Records, though Gray sings it differently, with an attractive, somewhat unemotional tinge, reminiscent of Chet Baker at his best. When Gray sings in Portuguese on "Voce Vai Ver," her sensuous, deliciously sonorous timbre steals the day. The arrangements wisely allow Gray's voice a distinctly intimate setting, something she fully exploits with a soft, mellifluous tone. Gray contributes a fascinating version of Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You," sung with a disarming, Latin flavor that begs for more. Eastridge's writing and his lightly swinging, minimalist guitar add considerably to the overall effect. This is an album to savor, equal to the best of the jazz-oriented Bossa Nova collections, and it captures perfectly the romantic essence of these beautiful tunes. The only downside is the regretfully short recording time. |
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The Music
Betty Johnson, Bliss Tavern Music |
