Marbin, Fernweh ****

It's not often we review gypsy jazz, the hugely loved swinging style associated with Django Reinhardt, because even though of course we like it and have even attended the spiritual home of the style in London, a nice spot called LeQuecumbar in …

Published: 7 May 2021. Updated: 2 years.

It's not often we review gypsy jazz, the hugely loved swinging style associated with Django Reinhardt, because even though of course we like it and have even attended the spiritual home of the style in London, a nice spot called LeQuecumbar in Battersea, the site doesn't always encounter the kind of trad-jazz as accomplished as the prolific Marbin that is worth detouring to write about much. (Last time we were blown away in the idiom was watching the Tcha Limberger film A Magyar Nóta: Belga Mestere in 2019.) Perusing the Marbin Wikipedia page just now (that's what you call deep research) we read how the band's founders Chicago bound Israeli saxophonist Danny Markovitch and guitarist Dani Rabin have played with the Methenyians Paul Wertico and Steve Rodby. They also released the very different Shreddin' at Sweetwater earlier this year. So this is a reverie and perhaps a shock to their fans. But why not. Completing the trio on Fernweh is double bassist Jon Nadel: The whole thing just flies. I'm reluctant to pick out top tracks but listen from first to last and press replay and begin again. By 'Dark Eyes,' aka 'les yeux noirs', I'll guarantee that you will be hooked.

The toe tapping 'Minor Swing' is a dream and as ever hearing 'Nuages' you just have to bow down to Django because it is one of the greatest pieces of music to have appeared in the 20th century and still is as inspirational as ever. What a lovely line from Rabin in the Marbin treatment. Two words to finish: a pleasure. SG. Out on 2 July. Link to the Marbin site

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Rosa Passos, Sábado Em Copacabana ****

If you love the art of bossa nova and more generally the delights of the specific art of soft singing wrapped in jazz Rosa Passos must surely be up there at the top of your list of singers in the pantheon especially if you have heard the marvellous

Published: 6 May 2021. Updated: 2 years.

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If you love the art of bossa nova and more generally the delights of the specific art of soft singing wrapped in jazz Rosa Passos must surely be up there at the top of your list of singers in the pantheon especially if you have heard the marvellous Amorosa or seen the singer-guitarist live, certainly outdoors in Valletta was a thrill hearing Passos in 2005 consummately at ease with her musicians on stage and communing with the audience so joyfully.

Storyville are issuing a beautifully captured live recording of the great Brazilian (check the sound of the applause as one marker as to the atmosphere) recorded in the best place of all, a jazz club. This was on 7 July 2001 in Copenhagen at the Jazzhus Montmartre, Passos there with pianist Fabio Torres, bassist Paulu Paulelli and drummer Celso de Almeida. 'Sábado Em Copacabana' ('Saturday in Copacabana') is streaming ahead of the 21 May release of Dunas – Live in Copenhagen. SG

Rosa Passos, top. Photo: Wikipedia. See Storyville, linked, for more.