(Vocal Jazz, Chamber, Contemporary Jazz) [WEB] Sara Serpa & Andre Matos - Primavera - 2014, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Pin back your ears for something delightful when you listen to this CD. Ethereal, flowing, interweaving harmonies and rhythms that suggest jazz as JS Bach may have written it, with hints of the sound of free jazz on some tracks. Sara Serpa sings sweet-voiced vocalese on most tracks, and all the music except Vanguard and Se Me Va La Voz is written by either Serpa or Matos. Lyrics for another 2 tracks (in Spanish or Portuguese, not sure) are by a poet Alberto Caeiro, and the final track ‘Earth’ has music by Serpa, set to a poem by e.e. cummings.
For instance the first track, Primavera, is a wordless celebration of Spring, with ‘La Da’ type vocals cut across by the guitar, then the voice is double-tracked, the sound made me smile, and I guess this would be fun to do. Tempo follows, and this has Serpa singing slow, smooth, harmony with herself, and a church music feel from the keyboards. Rios has rich Spanish guitar; then comes call and response involving sax and melodica, and deeper-voiced singing and free jazz elements on Choro. Kubana features staccato guitar with the whole band and the free feel returns with Nuvem and percussive keys and percussion. 14 tracks in all, every one worth listening to.
I’d be glad if anyone out there could tell me what kosikas and bombo legiiero, mentioned among the instruments above, are. The names sound like percussion. Whatever, the whole CD is a gem, especially for those with adventurous tastes who like something a bit different. The CD was planned originally as a straightforward acoustic duo but as Serpa and Matos became more involved in experimenting with the music, this CD was the result. (Ann Alex)

Sara Serpa - vocals, fender rhodes (2, 6, 14), piano (3, 7, 10)
André Matos - guitar, electric bass (5, 7, 10), cymbal (7)
guests:
Greg Osby - soprano saxophone (4)
Leo Genovese - melodica (3), kosikas (3), bombo leguero (10), piano (10), toy guitar (5)
Pete Rende - Prophet keyboard (7)