Lalo Schifrin
Piano Strings and Bossa Nova
Verve Originals

Cal Tjader
Plays The Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil
Verve Originals
By George W. Harris

Here are a couple of reissues from the Verve vault that spotlight how the latin/bossa nova craze sounded as performed by two of its pioneers back in 1962.

Pianist/composer Lalo Schifrin is best known for his scores for Mission Impossible and Mannix, but he also served as Dizzy Gillespie’s sideman way back when, as well as having put out a few discs of his own. This disc, which feels like an answer to Jobim’s “The Composer Plays” includes a rhythm section of Gillespie alumni Chris White/b, Rudy Collins/dr, as well as Jim Hall/g, Carmen Costa/perc and Jose Paulo/perc balanced by a string section. Originally released on MGM the tunes range from bossa standards like “The Wave”, “Rio After Dark” and “Insensatez” as well as a few contemporary ringers like Leonard Bernstein’s “Maria” and the cutsey “Four Leaf Clover.” The songs are concise and to the point, and are gloriously kitschy at times.

Vibist Cal Tjader was at the bossa nova craze at its beginning and rode the wave until it hit the beach. This disc produced by Creed Taylor exemplifies how diverse the music could actually be. Along with a rhythm section in cluding pianist Claire Fischer, guitarist Laurindo Almeida, wordless vocals by Ardeen DeCamp, and a woodwind section that featuring Paul Horn, Tjdader creates a breezy and surprisingly undated set of tunes. Songs like “Silenciosa” and “Preciosa” have a sweetness that is irresistible. The woodwinds weave in and out of the vibes and ivories like late night traffic in Rio. Great stuff.