Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Walbum/Maintz Brazilian Quintet: Copenhagen Sao Paulo (Gateway)



It’s only been a month since I recommended the amazing debut album Rio en Vermelho e Azul from Morten Ankerfeldt. An album recorded in Brazil with local musicians. Like this album.

Guitar payer Thomas Maintz and piano player Thomas Walbum travelled to Brazil to record with local musicians. Is it all the same, then? Well, when it comes to the recommendation from this blog, it is. Musicially it’s different.
Maintz & Walbum is like a drink in the summer breeze while Ankerfeldt is more like a cup of coffee.

In the 80ies some American guitar players like Pat Metheny and Lee Ritenour flirted with Braziliean music. They played acoustic jazz guitars like no one else and inspired a whole generation of guitar players. Including Thomas Maintz.
Walbum & Maintz has the same light and spontaneous approach to Brazilian music as the one we heard in the 80ies. They stood on the shoulders of fusion jazz, swaying their hips in a joyous dance.

The two Danes share the title as composer. In Brazil they found three experienced musician to take care of bass, percussion and drums. Bass player Sizao Machado has collaborated with both Chet Baker and Milton Nascimento.

It’s the two Danes who are in the spotlight, though. But there is plenty of room left for the Brazilian musicians. When Maintz is playing his acoustic guitar it is a delightful pleasure. He is playing with confidence.
 Walbum’s sense of melody makes the music flow all naturally. Walbum & Maintz has made an album which should be the accompanying sound of the good days in life.

Bonus info: They will be playing concerts during the summer where you will see them on festivals in Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark.

Review: Niels Overgård. Translation: DSI Swinging Europe.

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