From All Sides
Though he remains best known for his music for thePeanutstelevision shows, Vince Guaraldi was an adept pianist in Latin jazz grooves, a strength that comes to the fore in this 1965 quartet session with the brilliant Brazilian guitarist Bola Sete. Both are melodists, but they're a study in contrasts, Guaraldi keeping his solos simple with pointed rhythmic force, while Sete's lyricism consists in a complex weave of details with an understated beat. The pairing works well, with bassists Fred Marshall and Monty Budwig and percussionistJerry Granellikeeping the Latin beats percolating, from bossa nova to cha-cha. Jazz versions of "A Taste of Honey" once proliferated, and Sete gives this one a forceful, bluesy inflection.--Adam Rains