Gafieira Rio Miami was brought together by renowned Grammy Award winning Brazilian bassist Diogo Brown in 2020 when he wanted a small (11 member) band to take on big band sounds and arrangements, blending his Brazilian roots with international influences. Gafieira (pronounced gah-fee-ay-rah), is a Brazilian Portuguese word for a honky-tonk, which were sanctuaries for free expression, and is a subgenre of samba that evolved in the 1940’s into the 1960’s. Brazilian musicians were listening to Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and other American big bands, and then added their own spin to the music with new arrangements and samba percussion which evolved as a dance style for couples.
This is an album which screams sunshine, smiles, beaches and people having a great time. It is impossible to be in a bad mood when listening to this as there is something about the arrangements and infectious groove that is incredibly infectious. When my daughter was dancing competitively, I listened to a great deal of Latin music, but none of that made me want to get up on the floor and give it a whirl like this does. Isa Duarte is a wonderful singer, often taking centre stage, but the production is sublime so we can easily hear the gently picked acoustic guitar, the soaring brass, percussion and piano all combining for a wonderful experience. All one needs to accompany this is a partner to dance with and some Caipirinha. Guaranteed to lighten the mood.
Rating: 8/10