Worldbeat Brazil

Jack Jezzro and David Lyndon Huff have a fine understanding of rhythm and style.

For years, the musicians have been working separately as solo artists and sidemen in the Nashville music industry. As a guitarist and bassman, Jezzro has been heard on albums for everyone from Loretta Lynn to Matchbox 20. Huff plays keyboards, percussion, drums, bass and synthesizer has shown up on recordings for artists as varied as Amy Grant and Megadeath.

Most recently, Jezzro and Huff have turned their attention to world music. Huff's last CD was the critically accalimed Worldbeat, a musical journey around the globe. Jezzro's was Brazillian Nights, an collection of Latin guitar instrumentals.

Teaming up for Worldbeat Brazil was a stroke of genius for the musicians. Fusing modern technology and instrumentals with a trational Latin feel, the duo has created their own style of nouveau flamenco.

"This is our version of Brazil and the other Latin American countries," Huff says. "It's a great place to be inspired by because you can feel the romance and passion in the air there. But since we're not authentic Brazilian artists, the music is going to be influenced by our musical backgrounds which include everything from pop, rock and country to classical, jazz and new age. I believe these Worldbeat albums truly reflect where music ig headed because I look at world music as everything from everywhere combined. World music today is a melting pot of all styles. The world stage is completely cross-cultural these days."

The great appeal of the instrumentals on this CD is that they have a very full sound. The background music that seems almost orchestral in some spots and reduced to the feel of gental rain or summer breezes in others. Meanwhile Jezzro's guitair is gently melodic, ranging from whimsical to mystical in its tone. There's a lot going on in each piece if you take the time to relax and let yourself really listen.
Part of that could come from the way the music itself was conceived. Huff created the framework of the songs, laying out the rhythms, backing tracks and main chord changes before Jezzro ever entered the studio. After listening to these rough tracks, Jezzro came in with his nylon-stringed acoustic guitar and developed the melodies.

"For some of the songs, like Night in Bolivia, I have very explicit ideas about what I wanted to do with the melody," Jezzro says. "But on other tunes I took much more of an improvisational approach where I let David's rhythmic feeling dictate a mood to me and then I simply flowed in that direction."

After spending an afternoon drifing in Jezzro and Huff's musical currents, I have to admit, I like the direction.

You can listen to clips from Worldbeat Brazil at Amazon.com or fine more information at greenhillmusic.com.