Seattle-based
Jovino Santos Neto is one of the new breed of Brazilian jazzmen. He builds on the forms created by earlier generations, mixing them with jazz even more than those who came before him, until it's almost a new hybrid that joins North and Latin American styles. There are the complex rhythms -- just listen to the opening of "Matraca," for instance -- but there's also plenty of room for improvisation from all the players in the band, with a strong emphasis on the sax work of
Harvey Wainapel.
Neto himself is a composer with a smart ear for melody, but also a deep grounding in Brazilian music forms, and as a player, he possesses a rare fluidity, not only on the piano, but also the melodica, which he uses on "Sea and Sky." There's room for the players to stretch out on the tunes when singers are used (wordlessly) on light, airy pieces sometimes reminiscent of '70s prog band
National Health. But there's no doubt that jazz is the root of
Neto's world, as he shows time and again on the material, while retaining that immediately recognizable Latin touch. With his longstanding quintet, he's grown into an artist of real stature. ~ Chris Nickson
