The Week In Jazz: Guitarists Carter And Chavez; Pianists Gumbs And Curtis

Joe Carter, a versatile jazz guitarist, is so fluent and eloquently inventive in the musical language of the samba that you might well think that he was born and bred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, rather than in Bridgeport, Conn.

About 20 years ago, Carter’s international tours as a jazz guitarist took him to Rio where in the exciting, samba-rocking local club scene were sounds that were light years removed from the dilutedbland blend that he was more accustomed to hearing back in the States.

Since then the longtime Trumbull resident and highly skilled modern jazz guitarist, has immersed himself in the art of the samba, both as an instrumentalist and a composer.

As a celebration of his dual citizenship as both a jazz and samba artist, Carter has just released a new album, the aptly titled, “Both Sides of the Equator” (Empathy Records). It’s a musically bilingual celebration of material from the North American songbook, standards from Brazilian music and a few originals thrown into the tasteful, cultural melting pot.

A guitarist whose playing is graced with clarity and speech-like lines in his phrasing, Carter has chosen to express his embrace of both North and South America in an intimate trio setting. This chamber music format is ideal for Carter’s conversational, story-telling mode of playing. His artistic voice especially flourishes in the challenge of dialogue. Mutual exchanges act as a catalyst for his fresh ideas that unfold in clean, crisp, lyrical lines.

Carter’s collaborators are the deft, big-toned bassist David Finck and the noted Brazilian percussionist Ze Mauricio.

One of Manhattan’s most sought-after session players, Finck covers a broad spectrum of styles including jazz, popular, Brazilian and classical music. His has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, Sinead O’Connor and Tony Bennett. Mauricio, who grew up in Rio, has been the percussionist of choice for Paquito D’Rivera, Helio Alves, Dionne Warwick and Harry Belafonte.

Carter and Finck are compatible players. Both instrumentalists seem to hear music as good, brisk, witty conversation. Their articulate dialogue is interactive, interesting, varied and always directly to the point. Notes are not wasted. Bombast is verboten.

Right from the first of the CD’s 13 selections, “Nos E O Mar,” the mood is relaxed and cool, while simultaneously alive with rhythmic and melodic energies. On Frank Loesser’s “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” Finck lays down a rock solid foundation for the triointerweaving strong, flowing accompanying lines and gets to solo as well.

Carter’s warm, cleanly articulated playing often exudes a sense of classicism, as on Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Mojave,” accenting the album’s chamber music feel.

As a composer, Carter contributes two originals, including “Viktor,” a samba dedicated to the oldest of his three sons, and “Variations on a Theme by Bill Evans,” his homage to Evans whose inventiveness and lyricism are indelible inspirations for the guitarist’s own reflective style.

Carter’s interpretations of the ballad “Young and Foolish” and Evans’ famous “Waltz for Debby” resonate with lyrical expression, artful blends of sincerity of artistic intent and serenity of spirit. You hear these qualities throughout the session, exemplified, for example, on Carter’s slow, beautiful rendition of Oscar Levant’s “Blame It on My Youth” and his poetic take on Milton Nascimento’s moving “Ponta De Areia.”

The samba numbers vary from lovely and sensuous to lithe and lively, always simmering with rhythmic and melodic nuance. All the pieces are performed on Carter’s acoustic nylon string guitar and Finck’s double bass, powered by Mauricio’s tasty, never bland, spontaneous seasoning on percussion. With Carter’s fingers playing directly on nylon strings, the trio’s instrumentation gives the CD’s sound a warm, human touch highlighting the hand-crafted quality of the artworks on display.

Carter will tap into selections from “Both Sides of the Equator” Sunday, July 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Pizzeria Laurentano, 291 Greenwood Ave., Bethel. He leads a trio featuring his longtime friend and collaborator, bassist Jeff Fuller, a noted interpreter of Latin and Brazilian music, and percussionist Nanny Assis. Music charge: $10; cover, $10 minimum. Information and reservations: 203-792-1500.

Carter’s new recording is available through iTunes, Amazon, CDbaby and http://www.joecartermusic.com. It can be purchased for $15, check or money order, made out to Empathy Records. Address: Empathy Records, PO Box 163, Trumbull, CT., 06611. An indie label, Empathy has since 1980 specialized in jazz and Brazilian music, and released recordings featuring Carter, its founder; Art Farmer, Lee Konitz, Cecil Payne, Don Friedman, Harvie Swartz, Nilson Matta, Mauricio Einhorn, Porthinho, Akira Tana and others.

Monday Night Jazz

As the headliner, pianist/arranger Onaje Allan Gumbs leads his quintet Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Hartford Jazz Society’s free “Monday Night Jazz Series in Bushnell Park.” Gumbs has played with such figures as Woody Shaw, Kenny Burrell and Betty Carter.

Guitarist/vocalist Dave Palla leads his quintet as the opening act, hitting at 6 p.m. at the downtown Hartford park. He’s joined by Dan Scheer, piano; Ben Golder-Novick, woodwinds; Paul Fuller, bass; and Bill Carbone, drums. Rain site: Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford. Rain updates: http://www.hartfordjazzsociety.com and WWUH-FM at 860-768-4701.

Portrait of the Artist

Hartford’s great, exuberant entertainer, guitarist, bassist and band leader Carlos Hernandez Chavez and friends perform Sunday, July 22, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. at the Mark Twain House & Museum’s “Sunday Jazz Brunch” in the museum’s Murasaki Café, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford.

Besides his role as a versatile musician, the Mexican-born Hernandez Chavez is a noted painter and muralist in the socially conscious, expressive tradition of Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco. His artistic work, with its powerful use of color, striking shapes and riveting themes, has been recognized for its bold social content and courageous defense of human rights and dignity. His easel and mural work, which generate virtually tactile energies, have been exhibited and are in permanent collections in Puerto Rico, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Greece and the United States. Among his many achievements in Hartford, his adopted hometown, he designed and created a mural along a blighted area on Capitol Avenue near the Twain House with the anti-violence group, Hartford Cares.

While painting is his profoundly serious calling, music has been his lifetime delight, always presented with great joy and with the prime goal of entertaining his audiences, something he has achieved with his celebratory performances for more than 40 years. Another aspect of his role as a peripatetic musician is his commitment to the preservation and promotion of the rich musical heritage of Mexico and the Americas.

Performing melodies from the Latin American songbook, the amiable minstrel/artist will be joined by his colleagues, flutist Gonzalo Cortes and keyboardist Abraham Sanchez. Admission: $35. Reservations: 860-280-3130.

Other Notes

Pianist/composer Zaccai Curtis & Message perform Thursday, July 19, at 7 in the free “UMOJA Music Series” at The Russian Lady, Hartford. Reminder: Saxophonist David Liebman leads his quartet Thursday, July 19, at 8 at Crowell Concert Hall atWesleyan University, Middletown. Information: 860-685-3355.

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