Do we need another set of Jobim tunes? some listeners may be tempted to ask. To which the only appropriate response is: “Why not?” Alto saxophonist Vincent Herring certainly makes a good case for one more with this relaxed run-through of eight of the Brazilian singer-songwriter’s works. The explicit theme pairing Jobim’s music with romance treads on the toes of the obvious, but it is the only false step in this delightful dance. Herring, who picks up the tenor for the closer, “Wave,” is joined in his efforts by guitarist Romero Lubambo, pianist Gary Fisher, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca. Lubambo is particularly apt in his stylings, the soft resonance of gut strings being so much in keeping with the traditions of Brazilian popular music. Herring himself is unusually relaxed, letting his lyrical side play beautifully in the tropical evocations of the repertoire at hand.
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