Mad About Records reissues rare live 1982 recording from São Paulo group Syncro Jazz

DIGGIN' IN

Mad About Records reissues rare live 1982 recording from São Paulo group Syncro Jazz

Portugese-based label Mad About Records continues their string of truly essential reissues with the release of Syncro Jazz’s extremely rare 1982 live album featuring legendary Brazilian saxophonist Nestico Aguiar, and his sister, pianist Lilu.

Simply titled Live or Syncro Jazz – Live, this incredible album was recorded over two concert dates in September of 1982 at the Teatro Lira Paulistana in São Paulo. Along with Nestico on saxophone and Aguiar on Fender Rhodes, the group also featured bassist Peter Wooley, Vidal Sbrighi on both saxophones and flute, trumpeter Dagmar, and drummer Ronny Machado.

Originally released on the small independent label Poitou, the live album is a strong blend of deep hypnotic modal and spiritual jazz melodies combined with Brazilian-jazz influences and rhythms, a sound that very much falls in same vein as some of the classic Strata-East and Black Jazz recordings of the mid-seventies. The track’s opener, written by bassist Wooley, “For Guzi” is an absolute gem, making this record worth owning all by itself. The album also features two great version’s of Mongo Santamaria’s “Cruzan” and Sonny Fortune’s “Revelation,” as well as a number of original compositions written by Lilu.

Overall, Mad About Records has once again brought much-needed light on a rare independent masterpiece that is well deserving of “jazz classic” status. With most of the label’s reissues selling out quickly, I highly recommend snatching up a copy very soon.