Gilson Peranzzetta & Mauro Senise: Êxtase

When Friendship Becomes Art

When you put master musicians Gilson Peranzzetta and Mauro Senise in a recording studio, the two gentlemen turn into enthusiast guys who have the greatest fun making music together. The two long time friends know each other very well and find joy in challenging each other with musical tour de forces. The music they make benefits from both the mastership of the pianist and saxophonist as from the friendship between the artists.

The album Extra de Vários already showed those signs. On this new album, Êxtase, the interaction between the two musicians goes even deeper. A good example is the album’s title track. The song was already recorded and mixed as a duo piece when Mauro’s wife Ana Luísa asked Gilson to provide a beautiful string arrangement, as a present for her husband’s birthday. The romantic composition gets a wonderful classical touch by it. It’s one of the two tracks on which the string orchestra Orquestra dos Sonhos makes a special appearance. They can also be heard on “Celebrando Jobim,” again as a special request from Ana Luísa Marinho to surprise her husband Mauro. This very jazzy performance is clearly built up from the Jobim tradition; taking the music to where Jobim could have been going to if he was given more time. Two tracks are dedicated to another legendary Brazilian musician, the late Sivuca (1930-2006). The first, “Mestre Sivuca,” was supposed to feature the accordionist. Unfortunately Sivuca’s health was already letting him down. Gilson Peranzzetta chose to use the song as a tribute. Sivuca lived in New York for about twelve years, which influenced his music in a jazzy way. The complex rhythm and melody outlines of this composition reflect that part of Sivuca’s musical heritage. The second tribute, “Itabaiana,” is named after Sivuca’s birth place in the tiny state of Sergipe (north of Bahia). This beautiful ballad breaths the air of the quiet hinterland in Brazil’s northeastern state, featuring Mauro Senise on the flute and a lovely piano solo. “Apanhei-te, Pianinho” is a composition in the tradition of Ernesto Nazareth (1863-1934), the composer from Rio of (Brazilian) tangos, sometimes referred to as maxixe, an afro-Brazilian dance with roots in Mozambique. It’s a dazzling piece of piano music, accompanied by the nostalgic sound of the flute of Mauro Senise.

These are only five of the fourteen masterful pieces of music on this album. Each composition shows the world class of the two instrumentalists. At moments the tone is traditional (choro in “Laurie no Choro,” featuring Mauro Senise on piccolo), then it’s about ballads in a jazz tradition (“Mel,” “Saltando de Band”); “Por um Triz” has an air of chamber music; “Aboio” sounds ceremonious (featuring fantastic saxophone work by Mauro Senise). Each track shows the craftsmanship of the two geniuses in Brazilian instrumental music. A craftsmanship that is dedicated to the Art of Music; Art, with a capital “A.”