Jazz vocalist Kenya Moses (from her Bossa e Bossa home page)
Last night my wife and I went over to Lyon & Swan for an early dinner that would allow us to catch the opening set performed by jazz vocalist Kenya Moses. The last time I managed to catch one of her performances was over two years ago, when she performed at Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio. That was when I first experienced her interest in Brazilian bossa nova, and much of her set was devoted to the music of Antônio Carlos Jobim.
Last night’s set again involved bossa nova repertoire. This time, however, the selections were dedicated to the memory of Astrud Gilberto, who died at the age of 83 this past June 5. In that context Moses was accompanied only by Italian guitarist Paride Pignottii (who studied Brazilian music at the Berklee School of Music). I have to confess that my knowledge of Portuguese is even less than my limited knowledge of Spanish. However, Moses had a gift of combining musical inflection with body language to capture the spirit of each of her selections.
Both my wife and I appreciated the intimacy of her delivery, since both of us remembered when, thanks to saxophonist Stan Getz, Gilberto first came to public attention. Those who fell in love with her delivery of “The Girl From Ipanema” probably still remember the music that was both cool and passionate at the same time. Ironically, we were the only ones in the dining area when Moses began her set; but she had our attention from beginning to end. Indeed, as that space began to fill, it seemed as if most of the other customers were more interested in food and drink than in Moses’ attentive delivery of Brazilian traditions that definitely deserve to remain in the jazz repertoire.
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