Guest Artists: El DeBarge; Dave Grusin; Herbie Hancock; Ernie Watts; Paulinho Da Costa; Joao Bosco; Omar Hakim; Caetano Veloso
Personnel include: Lee Ritenour (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass instrument); Djavan, Joao Bosco (vocals, guitar); El DeBarge, Gonzaguinha, Ivan Lins, Caetano Veloso (vocals); Oscar Castro-Neves, Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar); Art Porter (soprano saxophone); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Dave Grusin (piano, keyboards); Herbie Hancock (piano); John Patitucci, Anthony Jackson (bass instrument); Carlinhos Brown (djembe); Paulinho Da Costa, Cassio Duarte (percussion); Gracinha Leporace (background vocals).
Additional guest personnel: Djavan; Paul Jackson, Jr.
Producers: Dave Grusin; Lee Ritenour; Don Murray.
Recording information: 1984 - 1996.
Guitarist Lee Ritenour has long been associated with Brazilian styles (especially after playing with Sergio Mendes's Brasil '77 in the '70s), and 2005's WORLD OF BRAZIL continues that association to excellent effect. Ritenour's smooth, soulful style lends itself perfectly to bossa nova and samba grooves on this mix of originals and covers (including, not surprisingly, several tunes by the genre's greatest composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim).
But one of the things that makes WORLD OF BRAZIL such a treat is the host of guest stars, which includes keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Dave Grusin, bassist John Pattitucci, singer El Debarge, and percussionist Carlinhos Brown. No less a luminary than Tropicalia pioneer Caetano Veloso appears on his own "Linda," and his sultry tenor sounds as alluring as ever. With its mix of smooth jazz and Brazilian flavors, the overall vibe of this disc is relaxed, sophisticated, and cool.
