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Review written by O's Place
O's Notes: Antonio plays guitar leading a cool quintet with Fábio Leandro (p), Josué dos Santos (sax, fl) and Roberto Carvalho (b).
The music is all new bossa novas by Valdetaro, a fine jazz musician.
He pairs his guitar with the piano and sax to form sweet lead lines on many of them. It is easy to engage in particularly "Bossa Louca", "Tadição" and the title track.
We enjoyed this one from end to end especially the warm numbers like "Deixa Estar".
Valdetaro done a fine job sharing the spotlight and keeping the audience engaged.
www.osplacejazz.com/reviews.php
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Review written by Theurbanflux from theurbanflux.wordpress.com
Antonio Valdetaro | Leticia – Independent Artist 2009
Born in the city of Niteroi near Rio De Janeiro, Valdetaro traveled to Europe to expand his knowledge and study music. In the meantime, he decided to hone his skills by gigging with Europe’s finest musicians extensively throughout the continent under the helm of his contemporaries Barney Kessell and Kurt Rosenwinkel before returning to his native land Brazil and soon settled Sao Paolo.On this wonderful collection of nine originals, Antonio is accompanied by his talented cohorts in conversation with their interplay reveal with zeal Valdetaro’s rich and vibrant tone which embodies the true intimacy of these stylist, complex and sophisticated nuances that embraces the innermost details the compelling sounds of Bossa Nova. There are moments, his distinguished voice is reminiscent of another influential guitarist named Pat Metheny.
Valdetaro creates and atmosphere that is bright, colorful and enchanting soncially. Therefore, he incorporates with intensity the rhythmic and romantic flavor of Brazil by executing these warm, sensitive, sensuous and melodic textures flawlessly throughout this memorable journey titled “Leticia.” The beauty of it all, on this entire record he encapsulates the essence of who he is by inhabiting the culture of his native country! Simply amazing, this what I adore about Brazilian music.
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Review written by
Jonathan Rothman from
EXCLAIM.CA
Antonio Valdetaro e
Grupo
Letícia
Brazilian jazz guitarist Antonio Valdetaro,
who has played since the '80s and has worked with Paulinho da Viola, tells his
passionate Rio stories through the guitar and its melodic agility. Valdetaro's
band feature top-notch players on sax and flute, drums and bass (electric and
some acoustic), including some guests, evident on swinging progressions like the
incredible forro-bodo-style guitar and horn woven into "Concorrência Desleal,"
or saxophone-drenched tension builder "Bossa Louca." These mingle with carefree,
even humorous tunes like "Urublues Malandro" and playful dialogues between drums
and melody on "Tradição." Of them all, "Deixa Estar," which is very well-written,
with a rare flugelhorn solo, best shows off Valdetaro's arrangements: nimble and
stylish, with more than enough layers for repeat listens. "Letícia," a dreamy,
beaches-of-Rio-evoking bossa nova number, should enthuse those seeking an active
bossa artist whose music recalls and celebrates the form at its peak. (Independent)
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Review written by: Brad Walseth from JazzChicago.net
Antonio Valdetaro & Grupo - "Leticia"
Review written by: Ian Mann from the Jazz Mann
"A warm, bright, melodic album. Unmistakably jazz but with
an authentic Brazilian flavour"
This self released recording by the Brazilian guitarist Antonio Valdetaro has been forwarded to the Jazz Mann office all the way from Sao Paolo. The liner notes may be entirely in Portugese making translation difficult for your monoglot reviewer but music is an international language and there are some fine sounds to be heard on this CD.
Valdetaro was born in the city of Niteroi near
Rio De Janeiro but travelled to Europe to study music, firstly in Lisbon and
later in Barcelona. He also gigged extensively on the continent before returning
to Brazil and settling in Sao Paolo.
Valdetaro’s guitar teachers during his European sojourn included Barney Kessell
and Kurt Rosenwinkel. This gives you some idea as to where this record is coming
from. Although Valdetaro and his group make use of Brazilian rhythms and
styles-samba, bossa, choro etc.- this is primarily a jazz record. For European
and American listeners there are parallels with the breezy Brazilian influenced
music of Pat Metheny. Valdetaro has a warm, singing tone sometimes reminiscent
of Metheny, at other times he sounds more conventionally “jazzy” like his mentor
Kessel. This is a warm, bright album, entirely instrumental and unmistakably
jazz but with a wholly authentic Brazilian flavour.
Valdetaro deploys a core group of himself on guitar plus Fabio Leandro on piano and keyboards, Roberto Carvalho on electric bass, Jose dos Santos on saxophones and flute and Pepa D’Elia at the drums. Guest appearances come from Rubinho Antunes on trumpet and flugel, Sidiel Vieira on double bass and drummers Adriano Trindade and the late Ary Dias (1944-2008) who sadly died just after this album was completed. All are highly accomplished players who are given frequent opportunities to shine on a programme of nine Valdetaro original compositions.
The album commences with the lively “Segura e Sai”, a spirited opener that introduces Valdetaro’s smooth tone and fluent technique. With his jazzy chording and single note single solo lines it’s immediately obvious that he’s a supremely skilled jazz guitarist. Bassist Carvalho also reveals his credentials as a soloist with a fleeting, liquid solo in his instrument’s higher register and there’s a similarly impressive burst from Leandro at the piano.
“Bossa Louca” features a guest appearance from Trindade at the drums. No prizes for guessing the style here but the melody is languid and memorable with a hint of Metheny about it. Valdetaro’s guitar is warm and conversational and there are also impressive contributions from Carvalho and from dos Santos on sax.
“Concorrencia Desleal” pairs Valdetaro’s guitar with dos Santos’ effervescent flute and soprano sax on a joyous piece subtly propelled by Carvalho’s sinuous bass undertow and D’Elia’s understated but energetic drumming. Excellent.
“Tradicao” incorporates the contribution of the late Ary Dias who provides the pattering backdrop for excellent solos from Valdetaro, Leandro on piano and Dos Santos on saxophone. Dias also gets to enjoy a few drum breaks himself before the track’s close.
The title track features Valdetaro on both acoustic and electric guitars with Sidiel Vieria coming in on acoustic bass. The tone is laid back and conversational, almost ballad like but with a gentle samba rhythm. When dos Santos’ warm sounding saxophone enters the proceedings the listener is reminded of Stan Getz’s excursions into Brazilian music during the samba/bossa boom of the sixties.
"Urublues Malandro” is quietly funky but in a uniquely Brazilian way and features solos from Valdetaro, Leandro on electric piano and dos Santos on saxophone.
"Deixa Estar” is a coolly languid ballad that features guest performer Rubinho Antunes on velvety flugel horn. Valdetaro makes his now customary eloquent contribution with a couple of tasteful solos.
Antunes switches to trumpet for the more up tempo “Moca Bonita” and produces a fluent, agile solo on the instrument. Carvalho and Leandro display similar qualities on electric bass and piano respectively.
The closing “Cancao da Geraes” is a showcase for guitar and saxophone Valdetaro and dos Santos (on soprano) both delivering expressive solo statements. D’Elia, who is tasteful and sympathetic throughout enjoys a brief solo interlude at the drums.
“Leticia” is a warm, melodic, accessible album with some fine ensemble playing and some distinguished soloing, particularly from Valdetaro itself. Occasionally things can be a little too tasteful and tend towards the bland but there is still plenty to enjoy here. On a cold, dank November day in England Valdetaro’s warm, sunny Brazilian music.
Review written by: Skoot Larson from Skoot's Jazz
Leticia - an Improvised Trip to Brasil
Antonio Valdetaro’s new CD, “Leticia,” is a brilliant reminder that jazz music is alive and well in Brazil. In the 1960s and ‘70s, Brazilian jazz became a part of the American pop scene. Many of that South American nation’s best players and composers came to the U.S. to mix their native Bossa Nova into the North American jazz culture and sound.
While most Americans are content to dig the expats in our midst, dedicated musicians like guitarist Antonio Valdetaro and his “Grupo” are playing real and pure Brazilian jazz in their native Rio de Janiero. The Grupo consisting of pianist Fábio Leandro, reedman Josué dos Santos on alto sax and flute, the entrancing electric bass work of Roberto Carvalho, and Pepa D’Elia keeping a steady, solid drum beat. Valdetaro also plays some violão on this Brazilian issued compact disc.
Young guest musicians are showcased on some of the cuts, including trumpeter Rubinho Antunes, Sidiel Vieira playing contrabass, and Adriano Trindade, pictured at a set of drums in the liner notes, but listed as a saxophonist. One older mentor, the late Ary Dias, guests as a percussionist.
The musical program kicks of with “Segura e Sal,” a fast-moving pace-setter for Valdetaro’s skilled hands. The sixteen-bar bridge ascends for its first half, then retraces the progression back down to the original theme. Bassist Carvalho contributes a couple righteous choruses of quick string work into the instruments higher range. Carvalho’s solo here moves with an agility more like guitar than the larger electric bass.
The title tune, “Leticia,” proves a fine showcase for Valdetaro’s guitar. Right from the solo intro-cadenza of runs and progressions, this haunting melody grabs attention. The piano and bass sneak in behind the guitar line for eight bars before Valdetaro’s guitar is joined by D’Elia’s drumbeat and the alto sax of dos Santos’ to state the unfolding midtempo melody. “Leticia” features excellent solo work by both alto sax and guitar.
A special favorite is “Concorréncia Desleal.” This melodic line moves like a speeding locomotive driven by unison guitar and flute. dos Santos plays a masterful flute to accompany Valdetaro’s guitar on the melody, but later does his solo work on soprano sax, followed by some very tasty piano improv by Leandro.
On two of the tracks, “Deixa Estar” and “Moça Bonita,” guest trumpet man Rubinho Antunes joins Valdetaro and the Grupo. Antunes has a nice, fat trumpet tone, almost sounding like a flugelhorn on his solo passages, and blending nicely with the guitar on the melodies.
Antonio Valdetaro has assembled a very fine group of high-caliber musicians on this recording, and Valdetaro is an extremely creative and interesting improviser providing superb guitar work throughout the session.
The liner notes for this CD are all in Portuguese, which are difficult to follow with a limited knowledge of that language. Possibly a U. S. version could be marketed in America to aid in the enjoyment of this fine musical work?
"Leticia” is published independently in Brasil, and can be purchase here in the U.S. through Amazon.com and cduniverse.com. If you’re a fan of the Bossa Nova rhythms, this CD is a “must have” in your collection. And, “Leticia” is well worth the price even if you just like swinging, well-constructed jazz.
Review written by: Raul da Gama from Latin Jazz Network
What stands out immediately about this record Letícia is the ebullient mood that is struck with the first few notes of “Segura e Sai.” From then on the music gets busier but retains its sense of “alegria.” A warning, however: it pays not to me misled by the nature of the tracks that flow one after the other. Valdetaro and his group do a fine job of masking the true complexity of the songs. On “Concorrencia Desleal” for instance, the Forrobodo form is exquisitely captured by the guitarist, who plays linear, flowing lines as the saxophone of Josue dos Santos weaves interesting contrapuntal melodies into the song. This is just a glimpse of what Valdetaro is capable of and showcases on the record.
The guitar and indeed stringed instruments play a featured melodic role in South American music. Guitarists such as Baden Powell, Luis Bonfa and Oscar Castro-Neves and many others opened up myriad harmonic possibilities as bossa nova and other idioms have become more widespread. But the key to maintaining the core values of rhythm and syncopation while enriching harmony have been a challenge to those to whom virtuosity is given. Thus Antonio Valdetaro faces challenges in composition and performance. The trick is to stay away from trite imagery and keep the music fresh and new.
On Letícia, Antonio Valdetaro manages to do much of this on his own. His compositions, while staying close to tradition, push hard at expanding the forms. The guitarist has an interesting vocal touch and, as he shows on “Letícia” is capable of writing music that recalls the heyday of Brasilian music. “Urublues Malandro” shows that Valdetaro does not shy away from employing humor and irony in his music as well. “Deixa Estar” features some wonderful writing that is good as any of the fine music that Caetano Veloso produced. Rubinho Antunes executes a warm and round, brassy flugelhorn solo, which is quite unusual for that type of horn.
There is a touch of Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd in the record and this is understandable as those two stellar musicians practically redefined bossa nova for audiences in the United States. It is quite possible that this record by Antonio Valdetaro and Grupo may have a similar effect. It is sometimes a pity that the industry has not kept pace with artistic development and chooses marketing gymnastics over artistic merit. On a different field this record might have made a somewhat greater impact on audiences in North America.
Tracks: Segura e Sai; Bossa Louca; Concorrência Deslea (p/ Guinga); Tradição (p/Paulinho Da Viola); Letícia; Urublues Malandro; Deixa Estar; Moça Bonita; Canção da Geraes.
Personnel: Antonio Valdetaro: violao and guitars; Fabio Leandro: piano; Josue dos Santos: saxophones and flutes; Pepa D’Elia: drums; Roberto Carvalho: electric bass. Special Guests: Adriano Trindade: drums (2); Ary Dias: drums (4); Rubinho Antunes: trumpet (8) and flugelhorn (7); Sidiel Viera: acoustic bass (5).
Review By: Randy Hunter www.randyhunterjazz.com
When I received Antonio Valdetaro's new CD in the mail, I knew I was in for a cultural experience. Since all of the song titles and liner notes included with the group's new disc, "Letícia," are in Portuguese, I had to rely on my ear for the musical translation. I must add that this was quite a treat.
The disc features an enjoyable mix of authentic Brazilian styles from Samba to Bossa. One of the selections, "Urublues Malandro," even has a bit of a unique Brazilian funk feel to it. It is also notable that all of the tunes are original compositions by Valdetaro, adding to the authenticity of the project.
The performances are tight, energetic, and soulful, with outstanding solos by each member of the group. Particularly notable are the contributions of Valdetaro himself, and of saxophonist, Josué dos Santos.
This collection of eight selections is highly recommended. Valdetaro's website offers further insight in both Portuguese and English into the life and music of the composer, and information on where to purchase the disc. So with that being said, purchase a copy and prepare for the cultural experience offered by the finest of Brazilian music.
Review by Ralph A Miriello - Jazz.com
Carry yourself off to Rio with this self-produced Brazilian offering by guitarist Antonio Valdetaro and his group. "Bossa Louca" is a loosely-played bossa that captures the easy swaying feel of this delightful, regionally inspired music. Electric bassist Carvalho contributes an accomplished solo which leads into a melody statement by guitar and saxophone. Valdetaro’s style is carefree, tasteful and loose capturing the laid back feel of a balmy tropical breeze. Saxophonist Josué dos Santos, with his ultra-polished tone, recreates his own brand of Getz-ian cool. Sit back, close your eyes and enjoy being transported for a moment by the captivating rhythms of Valdetaro’s Brazil. Don’t worry, D’Elia’s bateria adds just enough punctuation at the coda to stir you out of your trance.