Outra Bez, Insensatez, Three Note Samba, Saudade da Bahia, Socegadmente and Chega de Saudade are palyed by Charlie Byrd (unamplified guitar) Keter Betts (b) Behe Byrd (g, or b) Bill Reichenbach and Buddy Deppenschmidt (drs, Latin perc) John Martin, Dorothy Stahl, Franz Vlashek, Morris Kirshbaum (cellos) Samuel Ramsey (frh)

Other selections by Charlie Byrd (g) Keter Betts (b) Gene Byrd (b) Bill Reichenbach and Buddy Deppenschmidt (drs) Hal Posey (tp, flh) Tommy Gwaltney (vib) on Limehouse Blues, omit Posey and Gwaltney)

All arrangements by CHARLIE BYRD

Edgewood Studio, Washington D.C.; February & April 1963

SIDE 1

1. Outra Vez (Once More) (3:13) (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

2. Presente de Natal (Birthday Gift) (3:26) (Nelcy Noronha)

3. Insensatez (Insensitive) (2:56) (Jobim-DeMoraes)

4. Three Note Samba (2:21) (Charlie Byrd)

5. Samba da Minha Terra (Samba of My Country) (1:59) (Dorival Caymmi)

6. Limehouse Blues (3:01) (Braham-Furber)

SIDE 2

1. Saudade da Bahia (Longing for Bahia) (2:24) (Doriva Caymmi)

2. Anna (4:37) (Vatro-Giordano)

3. Socegadamente (Soltly) (2:38) (Charlie Byrd)

4. Chega de Saudade (No More Blues) (3:13) (Jobim-DeMoraes)

5. Cancao de Nimar para Carol (Lullaby for Carol) (4:24) (Charlie Byrd)

Once more the remarkably gifted guitarist, Charlie Byrd, offers a program of his wonderfully rhythmic and melodic explorations of the compelling, stirring musical phenomenon know as bossa nova.

　　　By now, hardly anyone can still need to be told about this magical Brazilian music that has captured the affection and interest of North American audiences. Nor should there be much further need to emphasize that in this country it has been Byrd, more than any other artists, who has deservedly been credited with spearheading the bossa nova spoken – and continue to speak – quite eloquently for themselves on that subject.

　　　Even before the coming of bossa nova, Byrd was widely recognized as one of the nation’s foremost guitarists and as a leading jazz musician. As much as anything else, it was the amazing versatility of this soft-spoken, Virginia-born artist that drew attention. A master of the full range of classical guitar (he has studied with the great Segovia) as well as a variety of jazz styles, and equally effective on both unamplified and electric guitar. Byrd succeeded in building a far-flung reputation while rarely venturing away form the comfortable surroundings of Washington’s Showboat Lounge, where he still does most of his playing.

　　　Then, in 1961, during a State Department-sponsored tour of South America, Charlie visited Brazil. That country – where reputedly almost everyone plays the guitar – was bound to make an impression on Byrd. And in particular there was the extraordinary new music called bossa nova. After returning home, he began to apply his brilliant technique and fertile musical imagination to the task of interpreting this music. His “Latin Impressions” album included a highly successful collaboration with Stan Getz on another label, followed by the best-selling album, “Bossa Nova Pelos Passoros,” in which the tune Meditation (which became a hit single) and several others displayed a unique blending of violins with Charlie’s guitar sound.

　　　Now we have “Once More”, which spotlights Byrd’s even more striking use of the rich sound of cellos. Here are more selections by the cele4brated Antonio Carlos Jobim and other talented Brazilian composers, plus two fine examples of Byrd’s own writing skills in this vein. Finally, there are two surprises. For the most part, the guitarist frowns on the device of adapting standard tunes to the bossa nova pattern, feeling that it represents an artificial, un-musical distortion. But in both Anna (a hit of a few years back that first appeared in, of all things, a tough-realistic Italian movie) and the familiar Limehouse Blues he found rhythmic ingredients suitable for an unforced and intriguing transition.

　　　Byrd chose to work in a realized, home-ground setting – at a Washington, D.C. studio, with a hand-picked group of colleagues who are not only extremely able but also close friends and associates. (The cellists and French horn player are all members of Washington’s National Symphony; Betts and Reichenabach are in Byrd’s present Trio; Deppenschmidt was formerly his drummer; Gene Byrd is Charlie’s brother; Posey and Gwaltney are highly-regarded locally and beyond.) These added advantages help in the creation of one more addition to the long and growing fist of superior musical offerings by Charlie Byrd.

PETER DREW

　　　CHARLIE BYRD’s other Riverside albums include –

Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros (436; Stereo 9436)

Lain Impressions (427; Stereo 9427)

Byrd’s Word (448; Stereo 9448)

Mr. Guitar (450; Stereo 9450)

The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd (451; Stereo 9451)

Charlie Byrd at The Village Vanguard (452; Stereo 9452)

Blues Sonata (453; Stereo 9453)

　　　This recording is available in both Stereophonic (RS 9454) and Monaural (RM 454) form.