Recorded at a video taping in the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles as part of the Jazzvisions series, this was
Jobim's live act shortly after he resumed touring in the mid-'80s. At the time,
Jobim struck an avuncular, almost casually anti-show-business presence seated before a grand piano, presiding over a large ensemble composed of friends and family, singing in his endearingly rough, now-threadbare voice. Some of the performances here are little more than pro-forma run-throughs of standard
Jobim oldies but things perk up when
Jobim digs into some lesser-known compositions like his "Song of the Jet" and son
Paulo's catchy "Samba do Soho." In any case, the material is always superb and the cool-voiced, always in-pitch Brazilian singer
Gal Costa turns up on a few numbers. ~ Richard S. Ginell