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In this day of modern times and ever changing technology it’s quite unusual to find anything that lasts for more than a few years, but Trio Da Paz is an exception. For over 15 years one of the most acclaimed jazz groups in the world. They have redefined Brazilian jazz with their harmonically adventurous interactions, daring improvisations and dazzling rhythms. All three are seasoned masters of both jazz and Brazilian music and the list of musicians they have performed and recorded with is both extensive and legendary.

A sampling includes guitarist Romero Lubambo’s work with Dianne Reeves, Michael Brecker, Grover Washington, Jr. and Kathleen Battle; bassist Nilson Matta’s work with Joe Henderson, Don Pullen, Yo-Yo Ma and Oscar Castro Neves; and Grammy nominee drummer Duduka Da Fonseca’s work with Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, John Scofield and Tom Harrell.

As a group they have recorded and performed with Charlie Byrd, Herbie Mann, Lee Konitz, Kenny Barron and Nana Vasconcelos, among others.

However, it’s when they come together as Trio Da Paz that something unique and special happens, and all you need do is spend a few minutes with them to know why…the love, the respect, and the simpatico that they have for each other comes alive in their music…

From Trio Da Paz:

Our friends at BTM came to us with some new ideas, songs that we have never recorded and some we have never played before. It became a challenge for us.

Herbie Mann told us a long time ago “When you play songs for the first time you bring a freshness like the flowers that come in the Spring”, so, we approach this album as if it was the first breath of a new season.

1) Seven Steps to Heaven: We have loved this song for a very long time. It’s a great American Standard and it felt natural to do it in a Brazilian way.

2) Partido Alto: A Brazilian classic in the rhythm of Partido Alto, a derivation of samba. We rarely
get to play this but it was such a natural arrangement for us that we nailed it on the first take.

3) Look To The Sky: We played it in a simple way because the song speaks for itself.

4) Babel (Samba Novo): We pay homage to the great Baden Powell, behind Romero’s terrific
arrangement.

5) Winelight: Nilson brought this idea to us a few years ago with a suggestion to do it as a Bossa Nova Duduka sets up a nice groove paying homage to the style of the great Billy Higgins.

6) Ding Dong the Witch is Dead: A famous American movie classic which we gave our own
interpretation. This was a real challenge.

7) Brazilian National Anthem: Nilson played it many years ago when he was with Baden Powell
and he suggested it to us. To the best of our knowledge it had never been recorded by a jazz group
and it became very special for us. When we were playing it tears came to Duduka’s eyes. Romero
arranged it, it’s the most serious way that we can approach a song, it has a melancholic feel with a
hopeful approach.

8) Take Five: A jazz classic. Romero changed the meter from 5/4 to 3/4. The rhythm we used for the
first part of the tune is a Maracatu from the Northeast of Brazil. Notice that we play the Maracatu in
3/4 instead of the original 4/4 meter.

9) Batida Differente: The album was already completed when we decided to do this just for the
enjoyment. It has a very relaxed mood and we were so happy with it that we decided to include it.

10) O Astonauta: We all worked on the arrangement for this Brazilian classic by Baden Powell.

11) Somewhere: A classic Broadway tune. It was suggested by the people at BTM and we loved the
idea. We spent quite a bit of time finding the right interpretation.

12) Loro: A great composition both melodically and harmonically, we took a fresh approach to this
great Baia?o.

13) Corcovado: We decided to finish the album with a great composition by the master,
Antonio Carlos Jobim. It’s an expression of one of the most beautiful cities in the world,
Rio De Janeiro.

We had a wonderful time creating this album, we hope you have as much fun listening to it.

Reviews:

Coluna The Brasilians - ODDS AND ENDS - by Ernest Barteldes

"Speaking of Romero Lubambo, he has a new release with Trio da Paz, joined by bassist Nelson da Matta and drummer Duduka da Fonseca. The album, entitled "Somewhere"(Blue Toucan Music) takes us in a Brazilian-inflected journey through music that includes a tropical take on Paul Desmond's classic "Take Five" and Leonard Bernstein's poignant "Somewhere". Pay attention to the trio's rendition of the Brazilian National anthem, which lets go of its march format, gaining an East-Coast cool jazz feel to the song. They also pay homage to the late Baden Powell by remaking two of his songs, "Bebel" and "O Astronauta". Also worthy checking out is "Corcovado", the oft-recorded Jobim tune. "Somewhere" is an amazing album which deserves its place in the collection of any acoustic jazz/bossa nova fan.

Dick Metcafe - Jazz Improv:

I'm not quite sure where "somewhere" is, but the first listen to this CD ensures that it's a place I'd like to be (probably somewhere in the vicinity of Brazil, since that's where all these folks hail from)! Acoustic guitar-based jazz, with absolute & powerful energy quotient. It's totally clear that Romero Lubambo's guitar, Nison Matta's acoustic bass & Duduka Da Fonseca's drums will transport you to an aural space your ears will love, full of inspiration & vision! This album will hit the streets around 20 September, 2005, & you'll want to be there to snatch up your copy. These guys melt together smoothly, but their strong compositions guarantee that they'll never be classified in the (dreaded) "smooth jazz" territory. Their changes are clear & straightforward... the music leans heavily in the direction of Latino jazz, infused with a real sense of mystery & discovery! If your ears are already in search of sonic adventure, you'll find that this addition to your collection will be one of those timeless "keepers". I give this one a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! There is one minor criticism - get the track titles & credits burned to the CD, fellows... so I don't have to keep running back & forth between the tracks & the album cover to see what track is playing."

Bill Donaldson - Jazz Improv:

Consisting of guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca, Trio Da Paz has established itself as this generation’s premier Brazilian jazz group. Individually, its members are first-call musicians for adding vibrancy and authenticity to artists’ groups that incorporate samba or bossa into the
music, from Tom Harrell’s and Joe Henderson’s to Dianne Reeves’ and Yo-Yo Ma’s. Their resumes are extensive and growing, as members of the trio keep busy with recording sessions, tours, nightclub engagements and high-profile concerts, like Da Fonseca’s participation in the Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra’s recorded tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim. However, when they join to perform as the “Trio of Peace” (a reference to the inner peace that they—not to mention the public—enjoy from their joint performances), Trio Da Paz’s playing is elevated to levels several times above that of their individual work as sidemen. Their inner results in extraordinary communication with their audiences, first on a jaw-dropping technical level and then on a more subtle emotional level wherein they convey the joy they feel. Even though Trio Da Paz has attracted enthusiasts as a result of its past recordings, Somewhere contains a sense of daring, and thus adventure, surpassing that of previous albums.

Even on the first track, Miles Davis/Victor Feldman’s “Seven Steps to Heaven,” Trio Da Paz pushes the envelope, increasing the speed beyond the tune’s usual tempo, if only to challenge themselves to rousing improvisational
heights. Lubamba’s solo, for example, is an exciting demonstration of his mastery of the instrument. The next piece, “Partido Alto,” proves that the energy, the brilliance, of their performance was no fluke. Consistent with most of the other Brazilian tunes on Somewhere, “Partido Alto” is rarely heard by American audiences, but it’s a
rare treat in the hands of the trio. For (1) Trio Da Paz presents a classic example of a less-oftenheard Brazilian rhythm, and (2) the trio attains a high level of inimitable musicianship on the first take, as if it had been recorded live before an audience. Effectively building intensity from Lubamba’s initial charming understatement, “Partido Alto” culminates in Da Fonseca’s solo, making one realize that the composition succeeds due to its percussiveness that drives and characterizes it. Baden Powell’s “Babel” continues Trio Da Paz’s ebullience from the process of making music as they once again accelerate the tempo, but then in spirited camaraderie, they abruptly pause with stop-on-a-dime telepathy. In contrast to the native sambas and bossas, Trio Da Paz adapts some American standards to Brazilian rhythms, the most obvious of which, of course, is “Somewhere.” Converted to a bossa nova, “Somewhere” unfolds in natural layers as Lubamba expresses the well-known melody with ringing clarity.

Just as interesting, though, is the trio’s interpretation of “Winelight,” made famous by Grover Washington, Jr., on whose recordings Lubamba performed. Established by Matta’s resolute introductory vamp, “Winelight” reveals itself as natural material for Trio Da Paz once Lubamba arranges to stretch the melodic lines and change some chords for conformance to samba form. Even more radically changed is ake Five,” which Trio Da Paz plays instead in a meter of three, and quite effectively at that. Matta’s throbbing bass work, the notes indistinct as their reverberations join in sustained trancelike pulse, takes the listener unawares as the song opens with somewhat of a drone. After Lubambo makes clear the melody, rhythmically altered, the performance transforms into a showcase for Da Fonseca’s solo of eloquent percussiveness, a squalling tempest actually as the drummer provides a South American perspective on Joe Morello’s famous solo. Entirely acoustic as befits a group deriving delight from their native country’s traditional musical forms, Trio Da Paz at times bends popular American music to Brazilian will with engaging results. During the remaining times, Trio Da Paz revels in the opportunity to make widespread audiences even more aware of the inherent beauty of Brazilian music, none of which possesses the power to reach these musicians’ hearts more than the “Brazilian National Anthem,” also performed on Somewhere.

Jim Santella - All About Jazz:

Don't think that a trio consisting of acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, and drums with a name that translates to “Trio of Peace” is going to give you a mindless smooth jazz performance without any substance of note. No, Trio da Paz drives hard along jazz's mainstream, putting all their syncopated beats and spontaneous gestures into perspective with a Brazilian feel. Together, they create marvelous interpretations that gather momentum and come alive. Familiar melodies such as Jobim's “Look to the Sky” and Paul Desmond's “Take Five” retain their exciting allure while emphasizing cohesive interplay and virtuosic soloing. All three masters deliver crisply while allowing harmonic textures to overlap and drift gently around the room. Their performance contains contemporary variety while remaining true to tradition. You get a feeling that Django Reinhardt is looking over their shoulders. Baden Powell's “Babel (Samba Novo)” surges ahead with thrilling solos from guitar and bass. Romero Lubambo and Nilson Matta, both masters of their instruments, have shared musical experiences with veteran drummer Duduka da Fonseca for quite some time. Trio da Paz has been together now for fifteen years. “Winelight” purrs with an upbeat contemporary setting, while “Somewhere” lolls gently as a balladeer's dream. “Corcovado” gives the trio plenty of room for heartfelt expression as each digs deeply into the soul of this beloved piece. The trio gets upbeat and comical for “Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead,” applying a fresh face to this classic tune. Contrasts from bowed bass and a quirky electronic keyboard pump up their interpretation with class. Lubambo, Matta, and da Fonseca make Somewhere sparkle with vital energy while relying on tradition to carry us home. Their recommended performance appeals to a broad audience.

D. Oscar Groomes - O's Place Jazz Newsletter:

O's Notes: This is a refreshing session with a lot of Brazilian spirit coming through from the opener to the end of the set. The players are Romero Lubambo (g), Nilson Malta (b) and Duduka Da Fonseca (d). Whether they are playing the classic Latin sounds of “Corcovado” or cool arrangements of tunes like “Winelight” or “Take Five”, the team comes through strongly.