Karel Boehlee Trio - Luiza (2012)

Pianist from The Netherlands, Karel Boehlee is well-known and very popular in Japan. He was a founding member of the anonymous sounding European Jazz Trio, which helped ignite the "European jazz boom" in Japan over two decades ago. More recently, Boehlee has been releasing wonderful CDs with his regular trio from the Poly Canyon label, roughly at a pace of one album a year, without ever failing to captivate the Japanese fans. Boehlee is also a renowned jazz educator in the Amsterdam Conservatory, where the present recording took place.

The Trio's latest release, first in two years, is their foray into the wonderful world of Brazilian music. Casting his net beyond the usual Jobim repertory (of which, though, he selected four relatively less known gems), Boehlee found beautiful melodies written by Chico Buarque, Djavan, Ivan Lins, and Caetano Veloso.

The sole American composer, George Duke, is represented with his "Brazilian Sugar". The exception to the Brazilian theme is "Besame Muchi" with Mexican roots, but it fits the program perfectly. The approach, the sound and the aesthetic of this trio remain constant regardless of the material: Elegant, understated, quiet, and achingly beautiful. When these qualities meet the exquisite Brazilian melodies, something magical happens. Recommended!
~EastWind
Recorded at Amsterdam Conservatory Studio 2, March 20 and 21, 2012.

Personnel: Karel Boehlee (piano), Hein Van de Geyn (bass), Hans van Oosterhout (drums)