Hamilton de Holanda Trio Mondo - Jacob Bossa

Jacob do Bandolim (14.02.1918 - 13.08.1969)

Today it has been 49 years since Jacob do Bandolim passed away from a fatal heart attack, a good reason to commemorate his importance and influence on Brazilian popular music and especially choro. Further,this year is the Centennial of Jacob's birth and several events celebrating this have already been settled including new renditions of his music. Among new recordings of Jacob's musical legacy, the poject initiated by Hamilton de Holanda stands out as a notable release of an updated and magnificent reinterpretation of both well known and lesser known works by the master. The project has been scheduled to include four sets released by the Brazilian label Deck Disc that released the first set in April as a digital download version also available in the vinil format  (- a review of this is available in the previous blog entry). Now the second set has just been released and the remaining two sets will be released later this month in the same way - all recordings will also be released as a box set later this autumn. Below a small presentation of the just released second set entitled Jacob Bossa (- more info here)

Hamilton de Hollanda Trio Mundo - Jacob Bossa (Deck Disc, 2018)

Hamilton plays the 10 string bandolim and is accompanied by Marcelo Caldi (piano and accordion) and Guto Wirtti (double bass), a couple of tracks have contribution by unknown trumpet or flugelhorn and the vocalist on Jamais by Luis Bittencourt  is also unidentified. The set includes twelve tracks and the arrangements of the music are marvellous reinterpretations of mostly well known titles from Jacob's recorded legacy like Gostosinho, Migalhas de Amor, Vibrações, Receita de Samba, Diabinho Maluco a.o.. The title of the set, Jacob Bossa has a double meaning both pointing at the influence of bossa nova (- which literally means 'new wave' in Portuguese) and the word 'bossa' further draws on "... an old-fashioned slang for something that is done with particular charm, natural flair or innate ability" (info from wikipedia, here). According to some Brazilian reviews, the influence from bossa nova is recognisable in the accompaniement by Marcelo Caldi, who contributes great playing on both piano and accordion supporting Hamilton's bandolim and also has solo spots displaying modern conception of harmony and improvisation.

Marcelo Caldi (photo by Fernando Gasparini Studio)

The double bass contribution by Guto Wirtti is indeed also worth mentioning, his playing puts a solid rhythmic background for the performance by the soloists throughout.

Guto Wirtti (photo by Ken Eisner)

Deck Disc has uploaded some of the tracks from the set at You Tube, below I'll insert some of these audio videos to give you an impression of the music played by Hamilton de Holanda's Trio Mondo. A digital download of the set in mp3 format is available for purchase here. - The first track of the set is Jacob's Gostosinho, here reinterpretated in an updated and contemporary version by the trio

Next, here is the trio's version of Jacob's Migalhas de Amor

Jacob's recipe of a samba is also given a new interpretation by Hamilton's Trio Mondo

Finally, to end this small presentation, here is the trio's version of Avena de Castro's homage to Jacob do Bandolim, Evocação de Jacob

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Jo

choromusic.blogspot@gmail.com