As the son of the late, great, Brazilian musical guitarist Baden Powell, Philippe Baden Powell has a lot to live up to, but with his Far Out label debut, Notes Over Poetry, the 39-year-old pianist/composer crafts a stellar effort that preserves the distinguished heritage of samba and Bossa Nova that his father helped perfect while drawing on soul, funk and spoken word.
It's an inspired mix: "Chica" and "Recado pra Voce" are two infectiously breezy lite-funk movers, and "Hues" features an especially timely yet unintentionally tribute to Al Jarreau; all three are especially accessible examples of Powell's sophisticated compositional skill. Awash in warm acoustic tones, instrumental cuts like the sizzling samba of "Vamos Donatear" and the more introspective "For You to Know" showcase Powell's fluid piano playing and Andre Ceccarelli's nuanced percussion. With Notes Over Poetry, Philippe Baden Powell has honoured his lineage and added to its canon.
(Far Out Recordings)It's an inspired mix: "Chica" and "Recado pra Voce" are two infectiously breezy lite-funk movers, and "Hues" features an especially timely yet unintentionally tribute to Al Jarreau; all three are especially accessible examples of Powell's sophisticated compositional skill. Awash in warm acoustic tones, instrumental cuts like the sizzling samba of "Vamos Donatear" and the more introspective "For You to Know" showcase Powell's fluid piano playing and Andre Ceccarelli's nuanced percussion. With Notes Over Poetry, Philippe Baden Powell has honoured his lineage and added to its canon.