Campo Belo is a dynamic new record from guitarist/composer Anthony Wilson. Recorded in Sao Paulo, this spontaneous musical encounter finds Wilson (a veteran American jazz musician, known for his longtime association with singer Diana Krall) leading a band that includes three of Brazil's most astonishing young musicians - Andre Mehmari on piano, Edu Ribeiro on drums, and Guto Wirtti on bass. A program of richly melodic original songs, and a meeting of four strong improvisational voices, Campo Belo is a testament to the excitement of a time when musical borders are becoming more porous or disappearing altogether, and shared musical language is becoming the modern-day norm. Already a widely acclaimed artist, Anthony Wilson takes a huge step forward with'Campo Belo. (amazon.com)
The 2011 CD by guitarist Anthony Wilson is a gentle, thoughtful collection of tunes for guitar, piano (and sometimes accordion), bass, and drums, plus the occasional dash of clarinet. It's sunny, pleasant music that could easily have been released on ECM. Wilson's ultra-clean playing style falls into the Jim Hall/Joe Morris range, which makes it simultaneously quite pretty and kind of forgettable once the track in question is finished playing itself out. A little more of a Grant Green-style bite might have made this record more than a nice soundtrack to a late spring brunch. That's the problem with so much Brazilian music, though, it's so light and fluffy, it just drifts away while you're listening to it. Jazz listeners who aren't looking for a record that will sink its claws into their heart and never let go, or leave them breathless in the face of its virtuosity, but who, instead, just want to hear some nice, pretty songs for an hour or so could do a whole lot worse than this very well played, carefully arranged, and impeccably produced set of tunes.
