For a while I’ve been thinking of recording an album combining the work of my Jazz Masters with my own music. Naturally, since there are so many masters that wouldn’t fit into one album, I decided to include just a few. I put together a group of five super talented musicians to join me in this new project. The recording took place in one week during the peak of Rio de Janeiro’s summer in December of 2012. In this instrumental album, a piece by pianist Keith Jarrett for instance, incorporates elements of a Brazilian Toada, or a tune by Coltrane, that of a Quadrilha. Similarly, in one of my songs, I use a blues phrasing blended with a Brazilian Northeastern scale. Additionally, a Calango may be combined with a Samba or a Baião, and a Spanish chord could be mixed with a Bossa Nova. I have used this same kind of mixture also on Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea and Bill Evans’ tunes. Music borders vanish giving rise to fine musical mixtures seasoned by Jazz and Brazilian phrasing. Antonio Adolfo (producer, arranger) Musicians: Antonio Adolfo (piano) Leo Amuedo (electric guitar) Claudio Spiewak (acoustic guitar) Marcelo Martins (tenor sax and flute) Jorge Helder (double bass) Rafael Barata (drums and percussion) Recorded in Rio, Brazil (December 2012) Brazilian Toada is characterized by a slower, softer and romantic form of Baião (Brazilian Northeastern musical style - see below). There are some variations also found in other regions. Quadrilha is a four beat style often played in Northeastern Brazil during the Winter festivities. Blues phrasing is a distinct way of phrasing based on the Blues scale. The Northeastern Brazilian scale is a combination of the Lydian, Mixolydian and major scales. The Baião also incorporates other scales that contribute to its rich musical style. Calango is a Brazilian Southeastern dance that contains rhythms of the Baião and also blends well with Samba and other two beat Brazilian styles. Samba is the most popular Brazilian music style whose roots trace back to the African dances. Baião is the most well known binary form in the Northeastern Brazil, which influenced many other styles. Bossa Nova is the Brazilian musical genre most renown worldwide.