Terra Brasilis

In some ways, this is a strategic retreat for Antonio Carlos Jobim after the classical departures of the '70s -- a retrospective of past triumphs, including some of the most trod-upon standards ("Ipanema," "Desafinado," "One-Note Samba," etc.), with Claus Ogerman again at hand. But these are thoughtful retoolings, some subtle, some radical, ranging in backing from a lonely piano to elaborate yet sensitive Ogerman orchestral flights that cram more complexity than ever into the spaces (listen to his beguilingly involved take on "Double Rainbow") with only a few overbearing faux pas. Jobim's own vocals sound increasingly casual in temperament as he serves them up in an unpredictable mixture of Portuguese, English and scat. And there is much unfamiliar material here, often dressed up in a brooding classical manner. Originally a two-LP set and later on one CD, this is a snapshot of Jobim's view of his output as of 1980; as such, it is not as definitive as Verve's posthumous The Man from Ipanema set ~ Richard S. Ginell