The exciting Brazilian jazz group
Trio da Paz -- guitarist
Romero Lubambo, bassist
Nilson Matta, and drummer
Duduka Da Fonseca -- are joined by vibraphonist
Joe Locke for this 2007 concert at JazzBaltica in Salzau, Germany.
Lubambo's lyrical acoustic guitar makes him the logical heir to earlier Brazilian greats like
Laurindo Almeida. Each of the bandmembers contributes enticing originals. The drummer's intense cooker "Dona Maria" showcases
Locke in a furious solo, though the guitarist's percolating solo that follows is hardly anticlimactic.
Matta's "Copacabana" is a relaxing bossa nova ballad, while
Lubambo's driving"Bachião" is the highlight of their set.
Locke's soft ballad "Sword of Whispers" also blends in perfectly. One could hardly expect a Brazilian group to overlook the works of the masterful
Antonio Carlos Jobim, and intimate renditions of "Wave" and "Look to the Sky," with
Locke sitting out on both, are the
Jobim numbers featured on
Live at JazzBaltica. A follow-up recording to this enjoyable concert is clearly merited.