Terence Blanchard - The Heart Speaks (1996)

BRAZIL WEEK (FEBRUARY 4-10, 2013)

A wonderful collaboration between American trumpeter Terence Blanchard and Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins. I had been peripherally aware of both Blanchard and Lins for years, but this CD was my true introduction to both. Although the album is credited to Blanchard, it is indeed a collaborative project with Lins, who wrote all the music, adds his vocals to 11 of the 13 tracks and adds piano to 2 of them. This laid back album definitely creates a dreamy vibe. I could nitpick about a few things that don't really matter, because this album isn't even about the individual songs, it's about that overall sweet vibe. Regardless what the Billboard reviewer has to say below, this album is not recommended for daytime listening.

Reviews/ratings:

• Billboard: "A wintertime Sunday-morning treat"
• Stereo Review: "Blanchard makes one eloquent statement after another"
• Downbeat (★★★): "The gentle, cinematic structures suit the trumpeter's style to a T"
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★½
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: My favorites are Aparecida, the title track,Orizimbo And Rosicler, and Love Dance. But like I said earlier, this album really is more about sound and mood, not songs.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD:  Around 1998, I learned of this album from one of my co-workers (also a trumpet player). It quickly earned a spot in my rotation of late night CDs.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Let's Get Lost (2001)
Music From Mo' Better Blues (1990)