Dori Caymmi
Inner World
Music Taste Records
www.musictaste.com
By George W. Harris

Guitarist/vocalist/composer Dori Caymmi is one of the underappreciated
wonders in jazz circles. Every time I’ve seen him with his band in
concert, it is an amazing feast of sounds and rhythms. This disc, his
latest, finds him with his regular working team of Bill Cantos/p, Mike
Shapiro/dr, Jerry Watts/b along with various vocal and instrumental
guests. The focus here is on short, concise and pensive vocal music,
sung in both English and Portuguese. For my taste, the native language
works better, possibly because I don’t know what is being sung, but I
can feel the agony and pathos in Caymmi’s agonizing voice. “Danca do
Tucano” and “For a de Hora” are palpably passionate.
“Spring” and
“Colors Of Joy” are deeply romantic, with Caymmi’s voice sounding rich
and avuncular. The band is perfectly loose, with the reigns held fairly
tight due to the focus on composition. He comes to LA once a year-don’t EVER miss him!