Paulo, Kim, Johnny & Alaíde Beautiful Brazilian jazz by way of Germany. Daniella Thompson 22 October 2003 Paulo Morello and Kim Barth Cornelius Schmidkunz is a German guitarist who teaches jazz guitar at the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg-Augsburg, where he also leads a Brazilian Jazz Ensemble. Both Brazilian music and jazz are staples in his repertoire, picked up when he studied guitar with Jim Hall, Jack Wilkins, Richard Boukas, and Richie Beirach at the New School in New York. “It was Boukas who infected me with the Brazilian virus,” says Cornelius. Over the past three years, Cornelius (or Neli, as he’s known to his friends) and the Danish flutist/saxophonist Kim Barth have been spending a great deal of time in Rio de Janeiro, playing gigs and jamming with various sambistas. The sambistas had trouble with Neli’s name. “My actual name didn’t work at all for the Brazilians, so I used my second name, Paul. That’s why I’ve got that ‘ungerman’ name Paulo Morello,” says the guitarist. Morello and Barth have just released a delightful and handsomely produced Brazilian jazz disc they recorded with none other than the legendary Johnny Alf and Alaíde Costa, accompanied by the rhythm section of Leny Andrade’s band. With the headliners plus Lúcio Nascimento on bass, Adriano de Oliveira on drums, and Cidinho Teixeira on piano, they are beginning a European tour that will take them to Switzerland, Germany, Spain, England, and Austria. Alaíde Costa and Johnny Alf Fim de Semana em Eldorado (named for the famous Johnny Alf song) offers nine instrumental tunes composed by Morello & Barth, one by Kiko Continentino, plus four songs (two by Johnny Alf, one by Tom Jobim, and one by Oscar Castro Neves & Luvercy Fiorini). The latter are interpreted by Johnny Alf and Alaíde Costa. The new compositions easily mesh with the Brazilian standards, Although there’s been no attempt at imitation. The cohesiveness of the album is due in great part to Morello and Barth’s unifying arrangements. It goes without saying that the musicianship is of a very high order throughout. Listen to 700 kb audio samples and download a video with Johnny Alf and Alaíde Costa (also available on the CD). The CD is available through the label In+Out Records or from Musicline.de. Paulo Morello & Kim Barth: Fim de Semana em Eldorado (In+Out Records IOR 07588; 2003) 58:58 min. 01. Samba 1 (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 02. Eu Vou Voltar (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 03. O Que É Amar (Johnny Alf)—w/ Johnny Alf & Alaíde Costa 04. Luciana (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 05. Eu Te Ví (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 06. Fim de Semana em Eldorado (Johnny Alf)—w/ Johnny Alf 07. Pé Quebrado (Kiko Continentino)—w/ Kiko Continentino 08. Balada pra J. (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 09. Outra Vez (Antonio Carlos Jobim)—w/ Alaíde Costa 10. Samba Horizontal (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 11. Botafogo Bounce (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth)—w/ Kiko Continentino 12. Chora Tua Tristeza (Oscar Castro Neves/Luvercy Fiorini)—w/ Johnny Alf & Alaíde Costa 13. Songuito (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) 14. Piu-Piu (Paulo Morello/Kim Barth) Musicians Johnny Alf: vocals, piano Alaíde Costa: vocals Kim Barth: alto sax, flute Paulo Morello: guitar João Carlos Coutinho: piano, Rhodes Kiko Continentino: Hammond B3, electric piano (7, 11) Jermaine Landsberger: piano (8) Lúcio Nascimento: bass Alberto Continentino: bass (7, 11) Wolfgang Stadler: bass (11) Jorge Continentino: pífano (7) Adriano de Oliveira: drums (1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 14) Fernando Pereira: drums (2, 4, 6, 9, 12) Cacá Colon: drums (7, 11) Reginaldo Vargas: percussion   Copyright © 2003–2014 Daniella Thompson. All rights reserved.