Review Summary: A celebration.
If you haven’t heard of Yamandu Costa before, you now have. And as of this moment, your life is better. Costa is a Brazilian jazz guitarist in the vein of Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto and Raphael Rabello. As the preeminent virtuoso in Brazilian jazz, Costa has created a name for himself through his energetic rendition of Brazilian standards, his ability to make one guitar sound like six, and his gift of blending lush melodies with complex progressions.
To be clear, this is not some flamenco. This music has roots in such composers as Jobim and Ary Barroso, who managed to infuse the heartbeat of Brazilian rhythm, the samba, with the melodies, progressions and style of American jazz. Classical finger-picking technique on Costa’s seven-string nylon guitar is layered on top of jazz chords and scales; allowing Costa to simultaneously provide smooth progressions while artfully plucking out melodies and harmonies. It is a legitimate marvel to listen to and look at, and is the main skill set provided by study and mastery of Brazilian jazz and bossa nova.
With the album
Festejo (Portuguese for "celebration"), Costa, in collaboration with saxophonist Marcelo Jiran, has delivered a collection of songs celebrating traditional Brazilian music and rhythms. The backdrop of horns, strings and various South American percussion instruments, supplements Costa’s lyrical and energetic guitar arrangements. Costa's solos glide along the fret board with an almost surreal ease, drawing out nuances and harmonies reserved only for the most elite of
guitarristas. The accompanying music is lively, and robust arrangements are oriented towards making one want to dance. Horns and winds glide across each other, evocative of a fun-filled occasion or a stellar party, while the percussion section lays down samba and bossa nova rhythms with almost mathematical precision. From the classically samba Bom Dia and Cuyana to the romantic Bolero Doce to the dark and brooding Suite Columbiana N.3: Porto or Guajira a Mi Madre, the composition is flawlessly executed.
Alright, I know I sound like I'm a fanboy here gushing, but the man is legitimately brilliant. To put it simply: Omitting Yamandu Costa from your musical library is an oversight of magnitude that should be rectified immediately. You don't have to like jazz. You don't have to like samba. But if you want to listen to a true genius with his instrument, put on
Festejo and see for yourself. You'll thank me later.
