{"id":3606,"date":"2021-09-23T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-23T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sebpalmer.com\/blog\/?p=3606"},"modified":"2022-12-18T12:11:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-18T12:11:31","slug":"music-stone-flower-jobim-1970","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sebpalmer.com\/blog\/?p=3606","title":{"rendered":"MUSiC: Stone Flower, Jobim, 1970"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The sixth disc (or seventh, if you include Love Strings and Jobim<\/em>) in his discography and my Tom Jobim survey, Stone Flower<\/em> follows Wave<\/em> and Tide<\/em> , both chronologically, and in being an RVG production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefitting from much the same team of personnel as Tide<\/em> – Ron Carter, Jo\u00e3o Palmer, Airto, Everaldo Ferreira – and with the same kind of production aesthetic, it\u2019s another solid slice of Jobim\u2019s musical magic. One difference, however, is that Eumir Deodato handles the arrangements (he\u2019s also credited with guitar; I didn\u2019t know he played!?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As usual with these recordings the horns are top drawer American jazzers. For these sessions we have the very mellifluous tones of Urbie Green, on \u2018bone, Hubert Laws handling flutey duties, and Joe Farrell playing sop\u2019 sax (the latter on just the one track). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album begins with the enchantingly charming, Tereza, My Love (a title with a nice personal resonance for me!). Children\u2019s Games sounds like an early rendition of Chovenda Na Roseira, or Double Rainbow, a really terrific tune. It\u2019s slightly unusual in being in 3\/4 time, and, whilst still having the signature mellowness of practically all Jobim\u2019s music, it gets quite percussively energetic, with the drums in particular very active. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jobim is mostly at the piano on these recordings, and plays superbly. Choro begins with the ensemble stripped back to the core rhythm section, and has a terrific main theme on keys, lithe yet muscular, minimal yet rich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track four is a rare thing, as Jobim plays someone else\u2019s material. And he chooses Ary Barosso\u2019s classic Brazil. It\u2019s the first vocal on the album. And he plays electric piano. The quality of musicianship is just sublime. Joao Palma, Airto Moreira and Everaldo Ferreira working together extraordinarily well, and Ron Carter\u2019s richly articulate bass completing the spare rhythm section as perfectly as is conceivable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazil is just incredible. An \u2018opus de samba\u2019 of truly epic proportions. Managing to perfectly balance exuberant energy against a light melodic touch. The percussionists do a tremendous job, acting like a taught trampoline over which Carter and Jobim can bounce, in a beautifully sustained meditation on the chordal and melodic themes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not surprised that another take is added as a bonus track, as these guys are on fire! And Rudy Van Gelder\u2019s recording captures it all as no one else could. One even hears Jobim\u2019s cigarette and cigar soused breathing over the keys occasionally. This is music that is truly alive with energy and feeling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n