Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits: Infinito
Cyro Baptista's Banquet of the Spirits: Infinito
By
Herbie Hancock
pianob.1940

Wynton Marsalis
trumpetb.1961

John Zorn
saxophone, altob.1953

Milton Nascimento
guitar and vocalsb.1942
Baptista's fourth release on Zorn's Tzadik label, and his second with his Banquet of the Spirits band, is billed as a collection of "experimental Brazilian pop songs." But it's unlike any pop music you're likely to hear on the radio, whether you're tuning your set in Sao Paolo or New York. Infinito is an exuberant, adventurous, at times frenzied blend of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Afro/Cuban and other Latin American musicsoften woven together within a single composition. "Kwanza," a tune penned by keyboardist Brian Marsella, for example, starts off with some funky electric-Miles fusion paired with Latin percussion before shifting rhythms, dynamics and instrumentation reveal a simple, sweet folk melody. But despite the wide-ranging sources and inspirations, the music never sounds forced or clumsy; the sound is seamless and organic, owing to the leader's highly developed vision of music as a global art that exists beyond any artificial national or genre divisions.
Baptista plays a huge array of percussion instruments from Brazil and around the world, as well as homemade instruments like a gas pipe, vacuum cleaner hose and something called a waterphone. One cut, "In Vitrous," features a collection of specially made glass instruments. His core group (Marsella,


Romero Lubambo
guitarb.1955

Anat Cohen
clarinetb.1975
Track Listing
Infinito Coming; Batida de Coco; In Vitrous; Kwanza; Noia; Adeus as Filhas; Coronation of a Slave Queen; Cantor Cuidadoso; Pro Flavio; Blindman; Infinito Going.
Personnel
Cyro Baptista
percussionCyro Baptista: percussion, vocals; Brian Marsella: keyboards, melodica; Tim Keiper: drums; Shanir Blumenkranz: bass, oud; Kevin Breit: guitar; Erik Friedlander: cello; Romero Lubambo: guitar; Ikue Mori: electronics; Anat Cohen: clarinet, saxophone; Zé Mauricio: conga; Chikako Iwahori: surdo; Scott Kettner: alfaia; Anne Pope: caixa; Sergio Brandao: bass.
Album information
Title: Infinito | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Tzadik
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