Mitchell And Ruff - Brazilian Trip / Campus Concert (2002)

Because so few of the recordings by the Mitchell-Ruff Duo have been reissued during the CD era, the reappearance of their recordings on various Collectables releases has been very welcome. Two separate LPs, recorded nearly a decade apart for Epic, make up this two-CD compilation. Brazilian Trip, though recorded in New York City in the summer of 1966, finds the American duo working with a rotating cast of young Brazilian musicians, playing ten sambas written by the visitors, only one of whom, drummer Chico Batera, was a full-time musician. Although these works never caught on in the U.S. compared to the incredible success of the recordings made by Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, Mitchell and Ruff (the latter doubling on bass and French horn) gel very nicely with the Brazilians during this mostly low-key set. "Sem Mais Chorar" is a rare opportunity to hear Mitchell play solo piano. The original title of the other disc, Campus Concert, is rather misleading, as it actually consists of four separate studio recordings between May 22 and August 31, 1956. The influence of Oscar Peterson on Mitchell is apparent during the roller coaster interpretation of "They Can't Take That Away from Me," while the impressionistic take of the now out of favor "Red Sails in the Sunset" is simply breathtaking. Two tracks stand out during these sessions: a delicate but extensive exploration of "Little Girl Blue," and the richly textured "Body and Soul," with Ruff starting on his masterful French horn before switching to bass as the piece takes flight. Although they evidently haven't recorded together since 1983, every album that Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff have made in a group setting is worth acquiring; this compilation is a good starting point for anyone unfamiliar with their work. -- Ken Dryden