The Girl from Ipanema

AMG Review of The Girl from Ipanema

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

During 1960-64 clarinetist Buddy DeFranco co-led a quartet/quintet with accordionist Tommy Gumina. They recorded five albums that have been long out-of-print, including this session for Mercury which was their last before the group broke up. Actually DeFranco plays a fairly minor role on the date. In the ensembles he blends in with the accordion so closely as to be almost inaudible. Gumina takes the lion's share of the solo space on the standards and ballads and is well showcased on the rapid and somewhat bizarre "Lunar Lunacy." Other highlights include the title tune, "Satin Doll" and "It Could Happen to You." This LP will be difficult to find but it is better than it looks.