Having been a major part of
Stan Getz's very popular
Jazz Samba album, it was only fitting that guitarist
Charlie Byrd would start recording his own bossa nova records. This CD reissue brings back the 12 songs originally on the Riverside LP
Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros plus six of the 11 tunes from Once More! Bossa Nova.
Byrd and his trio (which included bassist
Keter Betts and drummer
Bill Reichenbach) are augmented on some selections by strings, extra percussion, plus horns. In reality the background musicians are not needed since
Byrd was at the top of his form in those days. Unlike some of his earlier sets, these pretty and melodic recordings are very concise (lacking a sense of adventure), clocking in between one-and-a-half and three-and-a-half minutes, and looking toward the guitarist's later Columbia dates. Highlights include "Meditation," "O Barquinho," "Desafinado," "Bim Bom," "O Passaro" and "Limehouse Blues." ~ Scott Yanow