Gustavo Assis-Brasil In Concert (DVD/CD)

Gustavo Assis-Brasil may not be well known outside of the very technically-based fans of jazz guitar. This is due to the fact that ey is seen as a founder of the hybrid picking technique for the guitar, which occurs when an individual uses both a pick and their fingers to play notes. If individuals are familiar with the works of masters such as Wayne Krantz, Dave Fiuczynski, and Mick Goodrick, chances are good that they will hear those influences spread throughout the entirety of “In Concert”, likely due to the fact that those three provided a major part of eir teaching at the Berklee College of Music.

The compositions on “In Concert” may be further flavored by eir work with players such as Prasanna, Richard Smith, Tony Gaboury, and Natalie Dietrich. Assis-Brasil’s work on “In Concert” flows through “The Same Day”, hits up “Pra Anamaria” and “55”, and comes to an end differently based on which version of the concert that one is listening. This means that “Next Week” caps up the CD version, while “Sul”, “Invisible Meeting”, “Sanguessuga”, and “Long Gone” are all exclusive to the DVD version. Where the focus is decidedly on Assis-Brasil during this performance (the July 20th, 2007 show was recorded in eir hometown of Santa Maria), listeners would be neglecting a significant part of the musical force and talent present if they just listen to Assis-Brasil’s guitar work. Particularly during tracks like “Dec. 31st”, “Fim De Tarde”, and “Sul”, the work of the rest of Assis-Brasil’s collective, including Nene Vianna on electric bass and Julio Herrlein on guitar.

While the style of jazz that Assis-Brasil et all play on “in Concert” will truly be appreciated by only the smallest subset of viewers (and listeners), the smart arrangements and narrative style of those arrangements are enough to make fans out of listeners that had not previously been anywhere near a jazz concert. Kudos to AbstractLogix for continuing to give the musical virtuosos the proper time of day, rather than having hard to find recordings and dusty collection be the norm. If you’d like to put your toe in the proverbial water, just give “New Idea” and “Dec 31st” a list: the tracks themselves only come to eight minutes, and the work there equals the best on “In Concert”

Top Track: 55, Eba Fubah

Rating: 8.3/10

Gustavo Assis-Brasil In Concert (DVD) / 20 Tracks / http://www.abstractlogix.com /