This CD is actually my 10th recorded and 8th released here in the USA - More on that later - I have been blessed with many miles of paths crossed, between writing, arranging and live shows.  I am honored to release this CD on a very fine label in a440.  Some of this music was recorded in beautiful Rio De Janeiro, the home of the sexiest music in all the world. 10 years ago, I was determined to get some of that slick flavor.  That meant getting on a plane, ya-dig??


You don't get authentic Chinese food unless it's primarily served by an authentic Chinese cat, Amen?  You don't learn how to cook authentic Italian food in Little Italy (NYC) when Florence is right across the pond, right?  Well, I had to go to the motherland of this music, Brazil, where the mixture of Africa, Latin and European come together in a beautiful and sexy kind of way.

Brazil drew me in from many sources; Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto for starters as a young tot.  Maurice White and Ramsey Lewis caught the bug and recorded accordingly in the mid-70's, especially with the classic "Sun Goddess" with the slick ba-de-bop non lyrical chant.  Pat MethAny sojourned down there and created "Still Life Talking". George Duke created "A Brazilian Love Affair" on Brazilian soil. Airto Moriera and Flora Purim made a brief appearance.....Paulinho De Costa sprinkled some Brazilian flavor on Michael Jackson's "Thriller", courtesy of Quincy Jones. Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd both had a deep musical history with Brazilian Sambas and Bossa Novas.....and Quincy gave Ivan Lins great visibility with the Patti Austin classic "The Island" and later with the beautifully textured "The Wedding Dance".  

Because of these influences, my records have been calling Brazil because of it; Compositionally speaking, 1992's "Billy's Smile", 1997's "Bahia Maria", 2000's "Those Eyes" have been all calling the wilds of Brazil. Then my visit there for the first time to Brazil, courtesy of my dear friend Frazier West in 2001 helped to give birth to 2002's "See You in Miami", where I teamed up with my new friend, Cafe Da Silva on Percussion. The exchange became real. Some of my songs on this CD have been created earlier, but were not fit for a CD home, like "Joy", which was actually written over 10 years ago before I moved to Atlanta, and "I Wanna Be Where You Are", the great Jackson's classic, which was arranged several months earlier.  This was the CD that called those songs and arrangements this year. With over 50 songs written a year and only 12 slots a year, there's always something that will take years for release.

In the last several years, however, there have been some American Smooth Jazz Artists which have suggested Brazilian influences and themes, but none recently have actually gotten on the plane and actually spent significant American dollars, jumped on a plane and actually experienced the lifestyles, music, food and culture and applied it to recent recordings. That's where this recording separates itself from most recent recordings. Contrary to what you hear on American TV, Brazil isn't all about big-bottoms, Carnaval, party atmosphere and scant thongs. There was an exodus in place from Western Europe, Russia, Italy, Portugal, and even parts of Africa where it is believed South America was connected to a Bazillion years ago.  The fact is, Brazil is a country that should be visited at least once in your life because there IS something for everyone. The quickest way to describe the people of Brazil is happy, humble and simplistic.  Try casting your troubles to the waters of Rio De Janeiro, where the sights alone will add 10 years to your life.

My short visit began (in between witnessing another curse of the Bambino) with a beautiful Percussionist by the name of Armando Marcal, who played on Pat Methany's 1990 "Still Life Talking" CD. I can see why they worked together for 10+ years. Listen to his melodic and beautiful Brazilian rhythms. I then later teamed up with two of the cats from the legendary Brazilian-Funk group Azimuth (Ivan Conte-Drums and Alex Malheiros-Bass) for two songs. My temporary stay in Rio caught the attention of Guitarist Torcquato Mariano who stopped by to add his beautiful Guitar tones.  Leo Gandelman was an easy find; we've been talking for years and were co-bills at the 1st Annual Brazilian-American Jazz Fest in 2003. Then there were some new friends I met along the way; Daniel Musy, who did a great job engineering the Brazilian side of the CD and Andrea Vasconcellos, who was the Bassist for Djavan for over 4 years (By the way, he's 22!!). When he told me his favorite bass players where almost all twice his age (Anthony Jackson, James Haslip (YellowJackets), James Jamerson and his favorite, Marcus Miller), it was quite impressive.

I realized that his own American calling along with his knowledge of Brazilian street rhythms and Brazilian roots brought a beautiful thing to the CD.  It got to the point where at times, I because less interested in playing piano and more interesting in arranging and adding these great musicians to the project. Of course in my travels and as always with me, everything was going so smooth. I was gettin' my Brazil-flava on until one day, my groove came across "Can You Feel It", with my good friend Tonni Smith. Jeeezus! A greasy-stank-funky good time was had by all.  It was a no-brainer....She sang the original "Funkin' For Jamaica". Whether radio plays this song or not, it is a hit!!!!! Put this one on in your car and crank up the bass. Heck, once funky, ALWAYS funky!

All in all, I hope you feel the spirit of Brazil with a twist of the NY-influenced Baldwin funk. The Brazilians already called the music "De Janeiro Funk" with times of Neo-Jazz thrown in there. The last four CD's have had the Engineering touch of Dennis Johnson, who when I met, was a Hip-Hop engineer, however, over the years is evolving into an Engineer of the masses. He brings consistency to these last few projects. Hopefully, at some point, I will be able to release my music through a DVD recording, my next endeavor. I hope you enjoy the energy, love and spirit this CD brings to your heart and soul.  

Bob Baldwin
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