Charlie Rouse • Bossa Nova Bacchanal

Review by Thom Jurek

This 1962 date by tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse celebrates a grander and funkier scale of what Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd did earlier in 1962 with the bossa nova. Unlike Getz, Rouse didn't feel he needed to be a purist about it, and welcomed all sorts of Afro-Caribbean variations into his music. His choice of bandmates reflects that: a three-piece percussion section with drummer Willie Bobo, conguero Carlos "Patato" Valdes, and Garvin Masseaux on chekere (a beaded percussion instrument that is played by being shaken). Add to this bassist Larry Gales, and a pair of guitarists, Kenny Burrell, and Chauncey Westbrook, along with Rouse, and it is an unusual and exotic sextet. Burrell and Masseaux were part of Ike Quebec's band on Soul Samba, but the two recordings couldn't be more different. For his part, Rouse's embrace of bossa nova, as well as other Latin and Caribbean music, is firmly rooted in jazz -- and not American jazz trying to be Brazilian. Rhythmically, Rouse, who is a hard bopper if there ever was one, takes the rhythmic and harmonic concepts of the samba, marries them to Afro-Caribbean folk styles, and burns it all through with the gloriously unapologetic swing of jazz. The standout selections here are a pair of Luiz Bonfá tunes, "Velhos Tempos," and his classic "Samba de Orfeu." On the former, both guitarists play unamplified guitars in rhythmic counterpoint as Rouse offers first the melody, and then an improvisation in the upper register of the horn, on the latter, nix the counterpoint and listen, as both guitarists shimmer through the changes, one playing just behind the beat for a reverb effect. The percussion interplay is startling in its complexity, but seamless and warm in its balance, resulting in a fine section solo in the middle of the cut that is infectious. Ultimately, this is one of Rouse's finest moments as a leader.

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Reeseña por Thom Jurek

Esta fecha de 1962 del tenor saxofonista Charlie Rouse celebra una escala más grandiosa y funkier de lo que Stan Getz y Charlie Byrd hicieron antes en 1962 con la bossa nova. A diferencia de Getz, Rouse no sentía que necesitara ser un purista al respecto, y dio la bienvenida a todo tipo de variaciones afrocaribeñas en su música. Su elección de compañeros de banda refleja eso: una sección de percusión de tres piezas con el baterista Willie Bobo, el conguero Carlos "Patato" Valdés, y Garvin Masseaux sobre chekere (un instrumento de percusión de cuentas que se toca sacudido). Agregue a este bajista Larry Gales, y un par de guitarristas, Kenny Burrell, y Chauncey Westbrook, junto con Rouse, y es un sexteto inusual y exótico. Burrell y Masseaux formaban parte de la banda de Ike Quebec en Soul Samba, pero las dos grabaciones no podían ser más diferentes. Por su parte, el abrazo de Rouse a la bossa nova, así como a otras músicas latinas y caribeñas, está firmemente arraigado en el jazz, y no en el jazz estadounidense que intenta ser brasileño. Rítmicamente, Rouse, que es un hard bopper si alguna vez hubo uno, toma los conceptos rítmicos y armónicos de la samba, los casa con los estilos populares afro-caribeños y lo quema todo con el swing gloriosamente libre de jazz. Las selecciones más destacadas son un par de canciones de Luiz Bonfá, "Velhos Tempos" y su clásico "Samba de Orfeu". En el primero, ambos guitarristas tocan guitarras sin amplificar en contrapunto rítmico cuando Rouse ofrece primero la melodía, y luego una improvisación en el registro superior del cuerno, en este último, nix el contrapunto y escucha, mientras ambos guitarristas titilan a través de los cambios, uno jugando justo detrás del ritmo para un efecto de reverberación. La interacción de percusión es sorprendente por su complejidad, pero perfecta y cálida en su equilibrio, lo que resulta en un solo de sección fina en el medio del corte que es infeccioso. En última instancia, este es uno de los mejores momentos de Rouse como líder.

 Tracklist:
1 - Back To The Topics - 3:53
2 - Aconteceu - 2:57
3 - Velhos Tempos - 4:47
4 - Samba De Orfeu - 6:15
5 - Un Dia - 5:53
6 - Meci Bon Dieu - 5:55
7 - In Martinique - 5:27
8 - One For Five - 7:05


Credits:
    Bass – Bob Cranshaw (tracks: 8), Lawrence Gales (tracks: 1 to 7)
    Congas – Potato Valdez (tracks: 1 to 7)
    Drums – Billy Higgins (tracks: 8), Willie Bobo (tracks: 1 to 7)
    Guitar – Chauncey "Lord" Westbrook (tracks: 1 to 7), Kenny Burrell (tracks: 1 to 7)
    Piano – McCoy Tyner (tracks: 8)
    Shekere [Chekere] – Garvin Masseaux (tracks: 1 to 7)
    Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Rouse
    Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard (tracks: 8)

Notes
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on November 26, 1962 (tracks 1 to 7) and January 22, 1965 (track 8).
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder

Label: Blue Note
Genre: Jazz, Latin
Style: Bossa Nova


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