Album Notes

Jazz vocalist Rebecca Kilgore and jazz ukulele player Lyle Ritz are excited about their second recording collaboration, “Becky & Lyle • Bossa Style.” Previously they addressed gems from their vast collective repertoire of jazz standards, but here they turn their attention to the musical genre imported from Brazil and popularized in the 1960s, the bossa nova. The beat took the jazz world by storm at that time, as introduced by its leading American proponents tenor saxophonist Stan Getz and nylon-string guitarist Charlie Byrd. Ritz adapts the style fluently and seamlessly to his nylon-string ukulele, along with the help of John Stowell on nylon-string rhythm guitar, Dave Captein on acoustic bass, and Piper Heisig on percussion. Kilgore is known for her relaxed vocals, so it was easy to chose songs which would fit the mellow, swaying style – some from Brazil, some from American composers like Lennon & McCartney and Burt Bacharach, plus four original songs from Ritz himself. The result is a perfect fit.

This project was produced by Marianne Brogan of the Portland Ukulele Association.