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Friday, September 16, 2016

Bob Baldwin's alluring sounds of Rio #jazz

As recollections of Olympian accomplishments fade into our memories, the music of Rio via Grammy-nominated keyboardist Bob Baldwin’s (www.BobBaldwin.com)The Brazilian-American Soundtrack” continues to thrive, casting a vibrant and soulful spell of urban-jazz bliss. The critically-acclaimed, 26-song double CD is riding a wave of critical acclaim and multi-format radio spins. Multi-instrumentalist Baldwin meticulously produced and arranged the collection of twenty of his original songs along with a selection of seminal Brazilian jazz classics and R&B hits. Clocking in at more than two hours of sophisticated music, Baldwin’s lavish opus debuted as one of Billboard’s Top 20 Contemporary Jazz Albums and is capable of having the staying power to soar through 2017.
            
The new disc reignites Baldwin’s affair with the seductive and sensual sounds of Brazil, which first served as his muse on his 2004 love letter, “Brazil Chill.” Three years in the making and recorded on two continents, “The Brazilian-American Soundtrack” is presented in two movements: Rio-Ipanema and New York. Baldwin employed an accomplished cast of Brazilian and Latin musicians – percussionists Café Da Silva, Rafael Pereira and Armando Marcal, and guitarist Torcuato Mariano - to construct the exotic rhythms on tunes such as the energizing first single, “Ipanema Fusion,” “Funky Rio,” “Teardrop” and “Oasis Of Love,” and when reimaging music from masters Antonio Carlos Jobim (“Corcovado”), Ivan Lins (“Anjo De Mim,” “The Island” and “Love Dance”) and Djavan (“Eu Te Devoro”). Baldwin uses first-call session players, vocalists and prominent soloists - Marion Meadows (sax), Gabriel Mark Hasselbach (trumpet) and Marlon McClain (guitar) to name a few - to craft soul-soaked, funk-flavored urban grooves including a pair of tunes (“Maurice” and “The Message”) that pay tribute to Maurice White, the influential creator and leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, who passed away as Baldwin was finishing the record.   
On “The Brazilian-American Soundtrack,” melody-rich explorations abound anchored by Baldwin’s agile keyboard, Rhodes and piano artistry. The date, which became Baldwin’s ninth album to hit the Billboard Top 20, also benefits from his soothing tenor voice, bass, drums, percussion, Moog bass, Melodica, strings and clave contributions.

Beyond his 23-album recording career, Baldwin produces, hosts and nationally syndicates ”The NewUrbanJazz Lounge” radio show, leads a production and event planning company, designs and markets a line of men’s hats and has authored two informational books about the music industry.

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