Few musicians bring jazz and Brazilian music together as stirringly as drummer Duduka Da Fonseca. His new album, Rio Fantasia (Sunnyside), was recorded in January 2024 and exemplifies the trio's ability to move seamlessly between sophisticated conversational jazz improvisation and passionate samba and bossa nova.
On the album, the joy-filled Brazilian jazz drummer whips up a festive and feverish collection of originals and bossa standards, backed by pianist David Feldman and bassist Guto Wirtti, with special guests tenor saxophonist Paulo Levy and vocalist Maucha Adnet. [Photo above, from left, David Feldman, Duduka Da Fonseca and Guto Wirtti]
Born and raised in the Ipanema area of Rio de Janeiro, Duduka formed his first jazz group in 1964 when he was 13. Two years later he was performing in Rio jazz festivals. He moved to New York in 1975, when he was 24, to play with his jazz heroes and fuse the melancholy elation of the bossa nova with the intensity and daring of jazz. He has lived in New York ever since, and we're lucky to have him.
The new album is dedicated to his mother, Norma, whom he describes as "a courageous, always independent, warmhearted, generous person with a fantastic sense of humor and countless other good qualities." He also thanks her for advice at critical moments of his life and for "her unconditional support and encouragement throughout my professional career. Te Amo!!!"
The album was recorded at Rio's Biscoito Fino Studio while the trio was there on tour last year. The group is solid and tender, with David's delicate and graceful piano, Guto's bass fully engaged and Duduka moving the rhythm around with a soft, playful and persistent mix of percussive figures.
The tracks:
- Navegar (David Feldman)
- Soccer Ball (Toninho Horta)
- Minha (Francis Hime)
- Retrato em Branco e Preto (aka Zingaro) (Antônio Carlos Jobim and Chico Buarque), with vocalist Maucha Adnet
- Esqueceram de Mim No Aeroporto (David Feldman)
- Eu e a Brisa (Johnny Alf)
- Santa Maria (Guto Wirtti)
- Manhattan Style (Duduka Da Fonseca)
One of the Duduka Da Fonseca Trio's finest albums recorded with elegant artistry and in a collaborative style that sounds as if the instruments were having coffee together. You can listen to this one over and over.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find the Duduka Da Fonseca Trio's Rio Fantasia (Sunnyside) at all major streaming platforms and here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Eu e a Brisa...
Here's Santa Maria...
And here's Manhattan Style...
Bonus: Here's Duduka (drums) with Vinicius Gomes (guitar), Helio Alves (piano) and Gili Lopes (bass) at Smalls Jazz Club in New York in January. Move the time bar to where the music starts...
