Ike Quebec

Bossa Nova Soul Samba is the last album by tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec, his own answer to the bossa nova craze that swept American jazz in 1962. Recorded that October, it brings a strong dose of the blues to the Brazilian lilt. It also closed a late comeback. Quebec died of lung cancer on 16 January 1963, aged 44, about three months after the session.

Quebec had been with Blue Note since the 1940s, as a jukebox favourite and as a talent scout who helped bring Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell to wider attention. From 1959 he returned to recording with a run of albums for the label. This date took place on 5 October 1962 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Kenny Burrell plays guitar, Wendell Marshall bass and Willie Bobo drums, with Garvin Masseaux on chekere.

The nine short pieces mix Brazilian songs, classical themes and originals. Lloro Tu Despedida, Shu Shu, Favela and Linda Flor come from the Brazilian repertoire. Goin' Home is drawn from Dvořák, and Liebestraum from Liszt. Quebec wrote Me 'N You and Blue Samba, and Burrell's Loie opens the set. Throughout, the saxophone favours long, warm tones, while the bossa rhythm underneath stays light but firm.

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Scott Yanow pointed to exactly those warm, long tones, and to the light but authoritative rhythms of the sidemen. Alfred Lion produced the session and Rudy Van Gelder recorded it, while Nat Hentoff wrote the original liner notes. The woman on the cover is Ruth Mason, the radio presenter who later married Lion.

This stereo Tone Poet edition was produced by Joe Harley and mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analogue master tapes. It is pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI and housed in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.