Search - Phil Woods :: For Astor & Elis

A Beautiful Homage

Hugo Dart | Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil | 07/25/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Phil Woods knows his stuff. I confess I don't really agree with what he says about the future of Jazz being linked to latin rythms, but one can't help but appreciate this lovely tribute to the marvelous Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla and the great Brazilian singer Elis Regina. The arrangements are superb and the inclusion of Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" sounds appropriate - even if you, like me, think bebop doesn't have that much to do with Astor's and Elis's oeuvres. All the musicians do a terrific job. Phil Woods's playing itself, of course, is beyond repproach. I regret, however, that Mr. Woods chose to present the Astor-related and the Elis-related tunes in "blocks" instead of alternating them, which would make the project look (and sound) a whole lot more convincing."