# CD review: Eddie Daniels – Heart of Brazil 2018: Video

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2018/12/12/cd-review-eddie-daniels-heart-of-brazil-2018-video/
- Published: 2018-12-12T20:09:32+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Eddie Daniels has become, without a doubt one of the finest clarinetists in the
past fifty years or so. In fact, apart from Paquito D’Rivera, there is probably 
no one who plays this unforgiving instrument with more virtuosity and elegance than
Mr Daniels. **

But even with his genius on the proverbial “licorice stick” absolutely nothing could
guarantee that he would be able to pull off such demanding repertoire by one of 
the greatest composers of music of our time: Egberto Gismonti. Here is a musician
who was spurred on to find his voice, refine his vision and reach for his Holy Grail
back in Brasil by Anton Webern’s pupil, Jean Barraqué, and the legendary pedagogue
Nadia Boulanger. The latter urged him to “be a little irresponsible in [his] music,
just trust and break the rules” which drove him to the indigenous peoples of the
Amazon rain forest and their music. This encounter altered his perspective, changed
the expressive possibilities of musical language and fertilised his work.

But just as much as Mr Gismonti worshipped at the altar of originality, so does 
Mr Daniels. Moreover, the clarinetist’s gift of discernment accounted for his being
able to align his imagination and sublime artistry with that of Mr Gismonti’s own
creativity and vision. _Heart of Brazil_ resulted from this unique “partnership”.
Although Mr Daniels plays (his old instrument) the tenor saxophone on a few tunes
here, it is with the clarinet that his reputation on this repertoire by Mr Gismonti
rests. You hear something masterful and inimitable every time that Mr Daniels makes
music with each compression wave; every magical puff of air, that is. The tapestry
of this music is unfurled as wondrously in the rich dark swirls of the _chalumeau_
register, as it is in the _clarion_-bright and sweet calls and keening shrillness
of his _altissimo_ twists at the end of choice phrases.

Not only does Mr Daniels put the iconic cylindrical bore of his legendary Backum
woodwind instrument to create immeasurable beauty from its three registers but he
exploits the intricate key organization of the clarinet that makes some of the most
impossibly difficult passages in Mr Gismonti’s music seem like child’s play and 
while there are beautifully sculpted phrases and lines throughout this recording
one is left gasping audibly, on the white-knuckle ride, for instance, on the joyous
chatter of “Lôro”, the insouciant leaps on “Folia” and the profoundly majestic solemnity
of “Maracatú”. So, of course, at the heart of this disc, aptly entitled _Heart of
Brazil_ is magnificent performance by Eddie Daniels and the classic repertoire by
Egberto Gismonti. But let’s face it we would be remiss if we did not doff the proverbial
hat to the other aspect of this disc that makes it one to absolutely die for:

Firstly there are the musicians – chief among them being Mauricio Zottarelli, without
whom this music would never have unfolded with as much elegant rhythm, which is,
again, so much as part of all-things Brasilian. But it’s not only the Brasilian-
ness of Mr Zottarelli that drops the de rigueur anchor in the sweet spot of this
ocean of music; rather it is because Mr Zottarelli has literally mastered the art
of reincarnating himself as a melodist, harmonist and rhythmist – each in its turn,
sometimes combining all of the three elements in his music. Secondly it is the inspired
choice of bringing in the Harlem Quartet and it is their extraordinary performance
that contributes mightily to placing Mr Gismonti’s music in its rightful place which
is right in the realm of the music where Heitor Villa-Lobos rests.

And finally all this has to do with the genius and incomparable wisdom of George
Klabin, Founder of Resonance Records and producer in the mould of the illustrious
producers involved in the long list of iconic productions including symphonic and
operatic in the classical world. Why, one might well ask…? Well, it is Mr Klabin
who set the list of music to be played, brought in the terrific musicians to arrange
and perform it, and last, but not least, (assisted by Fran Gala; of course), preside
over the console in order to deliver this impeccable recording to us.

_Eddie Daniels – Heart of Brazil_ is a 61^(st) Grammy Awards Winner Nominee in the
Best Latin Jazz Album Category.

**Track list:**

1: Lôro;

2: Baião Malandro;

3: Água e Vinho;

4: Ciranda;

5: Folia;

6: Maracatú;

7: Adágio;

8: Tango Nova;

9: Chôro;

10: Tango;

11: Cigana;

12: Trem Noturno;

13: Auto-Retrato

**Personnel:**

**Eddie Daniels:** clarinet and tenor saxophone;

**Josh Nelson:** piano;

**Kevin Axt:** bass;

**Mauricio Zottarelli:** drums;

**Harlem Quartet** – **Ilmar Gavilán: **violin;

**Melissa White:** violin;

**Jamey Amador:** viola;

**Felix Umansky:** cello; Arrangers:

**Ted Nash** (1, 4, 9),

**Kuno Schmid** (2, 3, 711, 12),

**Josh Nelson** (5)

**Mike Patterson** (8)

![Картинки по запросу Eddie Daniels: Heart of Brazil](https://i0.
wp.com/f4.bcbits.com/img/a0424944491_10.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

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