Search - Paulo Alencar :: Best of Bossa Nova Jazz

Fun 'Sixties kitsch from Brazil

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 07/05/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm normally pretty resistent to '60s pop kitsch, but these swanky pop-jazz recordings are pretty swinging, especially the backbeat-heavy "Ziriguidum," which is as perky and cheerful a loungecore classic as you could ever hope for. Alencar was a Rio native who moved to LA and did session work with Neil Diamond and others, and made a few albums for Stateside labels such as Atco and Kapp. This CD appears to be a near-exact reissue of a 1963 Atco album, "Jazza Nova," with two extra tracks of indeterminate origin... there are a few mediocre tracks, but mostly it's fun stuff, a notch or two above the standard-issue bossa-jazz ensembles of the time. The downside of this British import is there are no liner notes -- none -- making it kinda difficult to find out when these recordings are from, or who played on these "all-star" sessions. (In particular, who was the adorable female vocalist on "Ziriguidum"?) Still, it's definitely worth checking out, especially if you're looking for fun early '60s fare. Recommended!"