In “Bons Amigos,” the September 13th release on Resonance Records, Brazilian trumpeter and first-call sideman Claudio Roditi ventures into uncharted territory, for him. He relents on his usual rule of less is best, to play around with notes a bit more, go a little extra double-time, and explore expansive, thoughtful solos — especially in Egberto Gismonti’s 1960’s original, jazz-solo-less piece, “O Sonho” — with warmer brass sounds using rotary valve horns, a specialty.
A respected jazz trumpeter from Rio and current New York resident, the Grammy-nominated Roditi, 65, understood the foundation of classical music early on, graduated to jazz, specialized in post-bop genres, and seeped in his steeped Brazilian origins as he steadily gained more notice. He soon blossomed as a player known for using notes judiciously and using the instrumentation of rotary valve horns in classical music well, when translating them for jazz (one of a very rare few to accomplish this).
In his most recent album, Roditi sought to do more with notes and push the boundaries of the efficiency of purpose. “I felt like playing a few more notes on this album. I played double-time more often than I normally do, and there are some solos where I'm taking some liberties that I usually don't. It was just my choice on this album. Very often, I equate playing a lot of notes with 'showing off' - and I'm not a player who likes to show off.”
There’s no showing off in this album. All the songs swing, nice and easy, with chunky, well-timed grooves that speak to both the post-bop American and Brazilian influences of Roditi’s career.
He was actually a part of the original 1960s recording for Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti’s “O Sonho.” In the original of that time period, jazz solos were unheard of. Curious, Roditi asked Egberto why. “Back then, though, the writers and the pop producers, they had absolutely no interest in having a jazz solo on their recordings." Putting “O Sonho” in Roditi’s current recording roster was a second chance at that jazz solo.
Other songs from favorite Brazilian artists (Johnny Alf, Eliane Elias, Toninho Horta, Jobim) gave Roditi a chance to flex his horn-playing muscles in familiar and fond styles. Roditi’s own composition also makes it on the album.
Claudio Roditi: trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, vocal - Donald Vega: piano - Romero Lubambo: electric and acoustic guitars Marco Panascia: bass - Mauricio Zottarelli: drums and percussion
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