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The title of this album says it all. The English translation, Speak Sweet, is a reference to all the dulcet-toned saxophonists who fueled Gil Spitzer's imagination as a developing alto saxophonist growing up in the East Bronx. The names Stan Getz, Paul Desmond, Johnny Hodges immediately come to mind, and Spitzer is right in that number with his beautiful tone and lyrical approach in what, amazingly, is his debut recording at the age of 75! But as Brazilian bassist and producer of this session, Nilson Matta, says of Spitzer, "You don't have to be any certain age to play music. Anytime is about time." Matta met the saxophonist at his Samba Meets Jazz Summer Music Camp in Bar Harbor, Maine and the friendship deepened when the bassist invited Spitzer to an international SMJ camp in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Taken by the altoist's sound, Matta later invited him to sit in with his group on gigs at Birdland back in New York City. "He's got that lyrical thing, which is very charming," said the bassist of Spitzer, "and also nice tone, great taste. He embraces all of those things and he plays with a lot of spirit." For Falando Docemente, Matta assembled Brazilian compatriots -- guitarist Chico Pinheiro, drummer Mauricio Zottarelli, percussionist Fernando Saci -- to provide an authentic vibe on several alluring bossa novas. Saxophonist Harry Allen was paired with Spitzer on Hank Mobley's hard bop anthem This I Dig Of You, the luxurious ballad Early Autumn and Spitzer's lone original here, Blues for Harry A". Rising star pianist-composer Julian Shore was recruited by Matta to write string quartet arrangements on The Very Thought Of You, Nature Boy and Sonny Rollins' Valse Hot. And Spitzer responds in each setting with authority, clarity and a beautiful singing quality. The spirit of his musical hero Stan Getz hovers over much of this session and is especially apparent on a beautiful bossa reading of George Gershwin's Embraceable You and Jobim's classic Triste. B. Milkowski

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