A Twist of Jobim

It was wonderful that Lee Ritenour saw fit to honor the memory of Antonio Carlos Jobim in this manner. He chose some of Jobim's best works, and brought in some great musicians to showcase these works. "Bonita" is and always has been been one of the most haunting songs Jobim ever wrote----here, Dave Grusin is at the top of his game. El DeBarge accompanied by Art Porter on Sax performing "Dindi" really hits you where you live---a big favorite of mine. This entire CD is worth a million bucks. Any fan of Jobim's music Should add this to their collection. It will always bring a smile to your face, and at times tears to your eyes, because you are remembering the days of "The Girl From Ipanema."

If it were possible to rate this CD higher than 5 stars, I'd do it in a heartbeat. One of the very best CD's I have ever owned.

A excellent introduction to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, this CD is a tribute to the composer of "Girl From Ipanema", featuring mostly American musicians. The instrumentals are my favorites, particularly "Stone Flower" (also covered by Santana on his Caravanserai album; Herbie Hancock steals the show here), "Agua de Beber", "Lamento" and "Mohave". The featured vocalists (Al Jarreau et al) seem to be curious choices and I must admit that Waters Of March and Dindi did not particularly impress me. Girl From Ipanema is also not one of my favorite versions of this song, although Oleta Adams does try her best to capture the Bossa Nova groove. Still, a worthy CD for those who prefer light jazz with a South American feel. Jobim's music is deceptively simple and at the same time amazingly complex; for more authentic versions of Jobim, check out "Wave" and "Tide" by the composer.