No need to blame Quartet for the Bosa Nova

I fell in love with Brazil’s Bosa Nova sound after listening to the recordings of artists such as Sergio Mendes and Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The Duda Lucena Quartet perfectly carries Bosa’s torch for a new generation of listeners with their live recording. Two gorgeous covers kick off the show with Joao Donatos’s “Lugar Comum” and Jobim’s “Corcovado.” The Brazilian born Lucena’s vocal style is similar to Jobim, but he one-ups Jobim when it comes to clarity and tone.

The set is more diverse then one would expect with the Latin jazz flavor of “Sina” and “Sol,” which is a great example of Lucena as a songwriter. Another surprise is the up-tempo numbers such as the swinging “Trilhos Urbanos” and the wonderful closer, “Odara.”

The rest of Lucena’s quartet, drummer Quentin Baxter, acoustic bassist Kevin Hamilton, and pianist Gerard Gregory, all hail from South Carolina, but beautifully capture the various Brazilian and Latin sounds throughout their set. Their solos, instead of turning into an endless marathon, showcase their top-notch musicianship.

Duda Lucena Quartet Live does exactly what a live album should do. It brings the warmth and intimacy of a small club each time you listen to it. Even better is that it also saves you money on gas for travel, a cover charge and overpriced drinks.