PHIL Y. from CENTERVILLE, OH Reviewed on 11/26/2009...
Grusin and Ritenour crafted this beautiful CD around Brazilian influences and it pays of big time, in my opinion. The first two songs--Harlequin and Early AM--set the mood and will easily make you fall in love with this CD. These two songs made the top jazz songs on radio in 1985. The rest of the songs are quiet, seductive, melodic: just as Grusin and Ritenour want them to be.
2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
Grusin and Ritenour at their best! A Must Have Jazz album!
Lawrence Chow | walnut, ca United States | 07/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Romantic, exotic, intoxicating jazz fusion, quite a few tracks with Brazillian overtones courtesy of engineer turn musician/composer/vocalist Ivan Lins. This is not Antonio Carlos Jobim type breezy, wonderful jazz. But more passionate. Lins married a famous Brazillian beauty and she broke his heart! He turned to song writing and became a respected and popular musician. Here, he collaborates with Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour and their regulars like harvey Mason, Don Grusin(Dave's Brother) etc. Digitally recorded and mastered at Dave's GRP studio, it sounds good, off course, like ALL GRP recordings. Early AM attitude is the most popular track on this disc. Composed by Grusin, you might have heard it before on radio etc. But the Entire disc is excellant. Ritenour also wrote a few tarck. Lins wrote 3 and sings as well(in Brazillian, though he does sing in English in his subsequent albums). This CD is worth every penny and is a MUST have!"
Lee's Best Work
Lawrence Chow | 02/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Lee does it all on this album. The Brazilian overtones are both beautiful and sexy. This is a great CD for an evening with the one you love."
Their best collaboration!!
smoothjazzandmore | Clay, NY USA | 04/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Grusin and Ritenour recorded their best album in 1986. With the help of Brazilian Jazz extrordanaire, Ivan Linz, the recording becomes an exillarating and refreshing listen. From "Early A.M. Attitude" to "San Ysidro" to "Grid-Lock" to "The Bird", this album is about as complete as it can be and is a landmark release in the development of the Smooth Jazz genre. A "must have" for fans of Contemporary Jazz!!"
The CD that got me turned on to JAZZ
smoothjazzandmore | 06/20/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This cd offers a many types of modern jazz, most of which are insturmental. A fantastic cd for the person just getting interested in the music. Most of the songs are very up-tempo, full of energy and life. The two songs that stand out in my mind are Early AM att. and Grid-Lock, Very exciting music. The recording is as always from GRP, excellent. A MUST HAVE."
You must have this in your collection
o2miller | São Paulo, Brazil | 07/02/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know that I have always wanted to have a bit of each type of music in my collection so that everyone that I ever had at my house could enjoy something. Not that I believe that it is possible to please everybody, but it IS possible to have music of every type so everyone can enjoy their visit.
This is one of those CDs that various times over the years (I have had it since it came out) someone said - Wow! I have never been able to find this... Since I live in Brazil, it is not easy to find here. And when it is played over Sunday Brunch, or any gathering of a few friends, someone wants to know what it is, and if they can have a copy.
It is the easy to listen to (not easy-listening) kind of jazz that no-one seems to hate. Before you know it, there are feet tapping and heads nodding to the beat. Even my hard-rocker friends like it, as well as the average Joe.
There is simply not a bad song on this, and even if you can't understand the Portuguese language which is sung on a few tracks, you can't mistake the passion that Ivan Lins transmits through Beyond the Storm, which is a personal favorite.
If you like SpyroGyra or the Rippingtons, or if you need a jazz record to please your guests for a wine and cheese party, this is for you!"