Tania Maria

The illustrious recording career of Brazilian pianist/singer/composer Tania Maria now spans 44 years, but there's been no reduction in her multiple skills. I'm not quite sure why an album comprised of sessions recorded in Sao Paulo and Paris in 2005 and 2006 took so long to surface, but we can be glad it did. As has been typical of Tania Maria's career, she is able to move between jazz and Brazilian styles like samba and bossa with graceful ease. The six songs recorded in Sao Paulo feature a three-piece horn section integrated seamlessly into compositions showcasing Tania Maria's ever-fluent piano work and breezy vocals, often performed scat-style. The Paris tracks are horn-less and sparser, but equally effective. Most of the tunes are originals, though a Portuguese version of Sidney Bechet's "Florzinha" is a highlight. Tania Maria co-wrote "Samba Do Gato" with Shinichi Osawa, and the result is a pleasing 11-minute excursion that is definitely more Rio than Tokyo, while upbeat instrumental closer "Thanks Mr. G" will leave you smiling. Despite her record label's name, there is nothing naive about this sophisticated record.