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Artists around the world responded to the forced isolation brought about by the 2020 pandemic in various ways. In Brazil, superstars such as Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento and Gilberto Gil shared concerts from their homes, performing their hit songs for their fans. Among those fans were Anat Cohen and Marcello Goncalves, quarantined in Rio. As Marcello puts it: “I’ve been dreaming of Anat singing those words through her clarinet, imagining how her unique way of interpreting melodies would powerfully convey the message of the lyrics to anyone familiar with them, even when played instrumentally.” On their second album together, “Reconvexo,” the Brazilian 7-string guitarist and the New York-based clarinetist turn their attention to the deep well of music from the popular Brazilian songbook.
It’s been 30 years since singer and songwriter Curtis Stigers released his eponymous debut album, which took the charts by storm and generated several international hits. “I don’t tend to look back much, musically speaking,” Stigers states. ”However, this time I set out to record songs from my previous 12 studio albums in a different way then I recorded them originally.” For “This Life,” a seasoned Stigers revisits these earlier successes and a couple of later ones, putting a distinctive jazz spin on them.
Also this week, Matt Gordy, who has become one the first-call jazz drummers in Los Angeles during a successful 40-year career, releases his second album as a leader, “Be With Me,” with his Jazz Tonite Sextet;
Atlanta native Joe Alterman is featured with his trio from two live shows recorded at Birdland on “The Upside of Down”;
and award winning Brazilian guitarist and composer Sergio Pereira unveils his third release as a leader, “Finesse.”