More than Yesterday

by Jonathan WidranOscar Castro-Neves' virtuosity in all areas of musical expression have led the Rio native into a multi faceted career which has included being one of the founding forces of the early 60s bossa nova movement, as well as a player, writer, arranger or producer for some of the hottest pop and jazz artists over the last 30 years (Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald) and a composer/orchestrator for film and television. His third JVC album More Than Yesterday is as diverse and dynamic as the artist himself, thirteen solid tunes dedicated to his wife and employing his trademark acoustic as well as a Midi nylong strong electric guitar. The contagious energy of the title track (which may remind listeners of "Zorba the Greek") and the percussive closer "Oh What a Sight," finds him letting loose, hitting an amazing amount of notes. In between these intense moments, Castro-Neves settles into a comfortable Brazilian mode which highlights his fluid string style. The opening tracks, "Playful Lovers," "Felicia and Bianca" and "My Heart Knows" display this cool yet playful side of his personality. Typically, these songs begin calmly, then build s trength before the spicy percussion sections of Luis Conte kick in and set the pieces towards Brazilian heaven.