Balaio captures the intimate acoustic meeting of two acclaimed Brazilian Jazz musicians: Richard Boukas (guitar, vocals, bass, cavaquinho ) and Jovino Santos Neto (piano). Their synergy and spontaneous interaction is infectious, bringing interpretations of these eight original compositions into daring rhythmic, harmonic and improvisational territory. Named "Best Brazilian Jazz Guitarist" by GuitarOne magazine and major proponent of Braziian music for decades, Boukas demonstrates his consummate knowledge of Brazilian music through his playing, singing, composing and producing on this date. Jovino's fifteen-year tenure with master musician-composer Hermeto Pascoal shines through his riveting piano playing and honed gift as a composer. The two musicians share an uncanny intuition throughout, smoothly transitioning from melodic and soloing roles to providing solid rhythmic and harmonic foundations. Hermeto Pascoal himself said of Baiaio: "Balaio is a creative, original and loose recording, without fears or musical prejudice. It is the result of a great performance, presenting each one's influences and musicality. I wish that both continue on their path, showing the world that Everything is Music." PRESS Guitar Player/Brazil: "Boukas is an American who succeeds in reproducing Brazilian rhythms on the guitar as if he had been born in Brazil. His virtuosity on the guitar is matched by the vocal lines that he invents–always accompanied by challenging harmonies, beautiful melodies, contagious rhythms and impassioned improvisations." JazzIz: "The overall mood of Balaio is one of effortless, spontaneous improvisation and subtle rhythms that spring organically from the melodic structure of the works– where the Brazil of yesterday and tomorrow meet and mingle in joyous harmony." BOUKAS: "The Duo means total freedom. The music has a creative agility, moving in any direction at any time. Not a single note is taken for granted, and this recording is a spontaneous snapshot of repertoire that sounds different every time we perform it." JOVINO: "In a Duo, we assume the roles of drums and bass which are missing. Our playing becomes more rhythmic and percussive, complementing each other with different parts of the groove that are syncopated, versus on the beat." Tracks, composers and genres 1. As Cores da Menina (JSN) bright samba 2. Escuridão da Passagem (Intro) (RB) 3. Escuridão da Passagem (RB) bossa nova 4. Homeopatia (JSN) funky samba, Jovino Boukas on Tacoma acoustic bass 5. ChoroBop (RB) choro, melody played on cavaquinho 6. Rosa Cigana (JSN) ballad waltz 7. Gajatucada (RB) fast samba with Afro-Cuban middle section 8. Capricho dos Ventos (RB) classical waltz incorporating influences from Chopin to Guinga 9. Mountain Atop a Mountain (JSN) relaxed bossa nova