By Peter Maddern
Antonio Carlos ‘Tom’ Jobim is credited as the father of Brazil’s bossa nova style and many of his songs have become jazz standards. As such last night’s line up on the Festival Theatre stage could not have been more appropriately congregated with three fine exponents of their crafts accompanying Panorama Brazil (including its slightly unique trombone and flute combination). First up, and directing the music was Doug DeVries on guitar, then Brazilian Alda Rezende and finally Australian jazz singing legend Vince Jones.
The gig opened with a delightful montage of three Jobim pieces before Rezende strode to the microphone and took control of the audience. Her deep, sensuous almost husky voice provided a depth and feel that the musicians alone could not. Jones then came on for his four numbers dressed like a member of the Catholic clergy (sans the dog collar) with his white hair almost a self-affixed halo to his reputation, especially when the lighting crew delivered a deep lattice matte behind him.
A disappointment of the show was the absence of a substantial duet between Rezende and Jones; perhaps the oddity of her having a deeper voice than his led to an almost awkward combination when it was attempted.
Jobim’s most famous work is The Girl from Ipanema and at various times through the hour one could sense various hints and themes that would later become a part of that, one of the world’s most recorded songs. But with Alda Rezende in charge and verses in English, Portugese and Maori the much predicted finale lifted the evening to a new level.
This was an excellent program with the delightful Rezende its jewel.
Kryztoff Rating 3.5K
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