Dom Salvador is a Brazilian hard-bossa legend. Despite living in New York for decades, he's not nearly as well known in the States as he should be. Hard bossa (or "samba jazz") was a movement that started in Rio de Janeiro just as the bossa nova was catching on in the early 1960s. It was an attempt to anchor the popular Brazilian form more closely to jazz and samba syncopation. The instrumental form was a push-back against the cooler, more romantic and commercial sound of the tender and whispery bossa nova. The piano recordings of Horace Silver were a big influence.
Leading hard-bossa practitioners included Sergio Mendes, the Sambalanco Trio, Tamba 4, Tenorio Jr. and pianist Dom Salvador, whose Rio '65 Trio album in 1965 marked a significant shift in the robust dialogue between piano, bass and drums. Interestingly, the music by hard-bossa artists was just as melodic as the bossa nova, just more focused on jazz improvisation and a heavier percussive attack.
Now, drummer Duduka Da Fonseca honors this sound and Salvador with his new album—Duduka Da Fonseca Trio Plays Dom Salvador (Sunnyside). Let me quote from Duduka's liner notes:
In 1965, my hometown of Rio de Janeiro was marking the 400th anniversary of its founding. In celebration of that anniversary, Rio 65 Trio (Dom Salvador, Sergio Barrono and Edison Machado) released their first album together as a trio. I was 14 years old at the time and had been playing the drums for a year. This album had the most profound impact on my life as a musician and beyond.
The way they interacted was amazing. I had never heard Brazilian instrumental music being played that way before, and more than 50 years later, only a few people understand the concept well enough to play in that direction. Dom Salvador was one of the main creators in the early '60s of Samba Jazz, and in my opinion, he is one of the most gifted musician-composers that Brazil ever produced.
Now let me quote from Dom Salvador's notes from the same album:
I moved to New York City in 1973, and Duduka arrived in 1975. In 1980 I decided to form a new group in New York City, with Duduka on drums, Dennis Irwin on bass and Ion Muniz on sax and flute. At the first rehearsal, I was blown away by Duduka—he knew all the breaks and hits in my compositions and arrangements, and he'd never played in my band before...I am so thrilled and honored that Duduka Da Fonseca has chosen to record my compositions, and can barely find the words to thank him for this beautiful CD. To know that someone holds my music in such high regard and has produced such a deeply felt recording makes my heart sing. [Photo above of Dom Salvador courtesy of the Public Theatre]
In essence, this is a jazz album with a Rio feel. There are strong traces of gospel and soul-jazz in the piano playing of David Feldman, with touches of Dave Brubeck. Guto Wirtti is equally busy on bass, while Jaques Morelenbaum plays cello on one track—Para Elis.
Most important is the drumming by Duduka, who stirs all of this together with frothy beats and intoxicating polyrhythms. A glorious celebration of Dom Salvador's timeless music and his powerful contribution to the hard-bossa movement. [Photo above of Duduka Da Fonseca courtesy of Wikipedia]
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Duduka Da Fonseca Trio Plays Dom Salvador here.
The album also is available at Spotify.
JazzWax note: To read my 2012 interview with Duduka, go here.
JazzWax clips: From the new album, here's Clauditi...
And here's Valsa De Esquina...
Bonus: Here's pianist Dom Salvador in 1965 playing Meu fraco é café forte, from his Rio 65 Trio album...
To read an interview with Dom Salvador, go here.
