Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry

Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry

By Chris M. Slawecki
June 11, 2017
View read count

Philippe Baden Powell: Notes Over Poetry

Notes Over Poetry is

Philippe Baden Powell

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Philippe Baden Powell's tribute to his personal and musical connections and encounters. "I can't remember a time making music just by myself, I've always felt like a kid with toys waiting for friends to come and play," he recalls.

Notes Over Poetry seems to grow more beautiful as you progress through each track into a blossoming flower of Brazilian sound. Powell is the son of composer and guitarist Baden Powell de Aquino, a legendary founding father of bossa nova. But he sounds as a pianist more like the music heir to

Antonio Carlos Jobim

piano
1927 - 1994

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Carlos Jobim; along with Jobim's soft, luscious jazz-tinged touch, he paints in sounds both soft and bright to color music that's deeply rooted in tradition yet sounds contemporary.

The gentle melody and supple rhythm underlying the acoustic jazz trio piece "Quem Sabe?" reflects Jobim's brilliance—especially Powell's hesitatingly tender vocal, which sounds like he was singing this quietly to himself. The pianist's vocal also adores this bouncy and bright "Chica," tart but smooth pop frosted by the horns' cool shade and topped with Powell's suave piano solo. Another acoustic piano trio piece, "For You To Know," is this set's sparkling gemstone, as Powell's dexterous touch suggests the asymmetrical musings of

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett and the ripe romanticism of

Burt Bacharach

composer / conductor
1928 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Burt Bacharach. (Powell recorded parts of this set's pristine sound at the

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans Piano Academy.)

Two other Powell originals cast quiet but potent spells. An insistent thump from bassist

Rafael Paseiro

" data-original-title="" title="">Rafael Paseiro and French jazz drummer

André Ceccarelli

drums
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Andr�� Ceccarelli (who has worked with everyone from

Aretha Franklin

vocals
1942 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Aretha Franklin to

Michel Legrand

piano
1932 - 2019

" data-original-title="" title="">Michel Legrand) gently propels "Recado Pra Voc��," while Paula Tesser's vocal splits the difference between

Bebel Gilberto

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Bebel Gilberto and

Sade

vocals
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Sade, turning its sound into the vision of twilight stroll along a Brazilian beach. In the colorful "Hues," vocalist and co-composer

David Linx

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">David Linx switches between doubling and completing Powell's dancing,

Chick Corea

piano
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Chick Corea quicksilver melody. Violin steps up as the pianist's dance partner in the folkish, miniature instrumental gem "Salvadora."

Powell explains Notes Over Poetry in his own notes: "The great Brazilian poet and old family friend Vinicius de Moraes used to say that, 'Life is the art of encounter,' and that is what this album is about."

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Vamos Donatear?; Notes Over The Poetry; For You To Know; Hues; Chica; The Lonely Dreamer; Recado Pra Voc��; Salvadora; Quem Sabe?; State of Music.

Personnel

Philippe Baden Powell

piano

Philippe Baden Powell: acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes; Rafael Paseiro: acoustic bass, electric bass; Andr�� Ceccarelli: drums; Ruca Rubord?o: percussion; Amir Mahla: tenor saxophone; Marlon Moore: vocals; David Linx: vocals; Alexandre Vaz: acoustic guitar; Paula Tesser: vocals; Sidney Rodrigues: electric guitar; Renata Neves: viola; Delphine Blanc: vocals; Rubinho Antunes: trumpet and brass arrangements.

Album information

Title: Notes Over Poetry | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Far Out Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Tribute to Art Porter Jr.: Reflectio...
< Previous

Dreaming The Beatles: The Love Story...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.