js Morild is a somewhat unorthodox duo consisting of Dag Einar Eilertson on alto trombone and Marius Noss Gundersen on classical guitar. The alto trombone has a rich mellow tone somewhat similar to a flugelhorn, only a bit deeper and makes for an excellent soulful melodic voice which works well in their music which tends to emphasis melody over technical showmanship. Their first album, "Nordic Landscapes", reflected their Norwegian roots with somber tunes that fit well with warming oneself by a cozy fireplace. On their new one “Brazilian Soundscapes”, they head to much sunnier climes. Despite their north European roots, both of these artists are well versed in Latin jazz and have performed in that style together for over ten years. Gundersen’s solo work is usually in either a Brazilian or classical tradition.

A lot of us probably tend to associate Brazilian music with upbeat celebrations and sexy beach music, but Morild’s performance also reminds us that there is also a lot of sensitivity and delicate melodies in Brazilian music. A couple tracks on here can recall the more reflective nature of their first album, while other songs get into that characteristic upbeat samba rhythm. If you have any familiarity with Latin jazz you will recognize the composers represented on here, particularly Jobim and Gismonti. Fortunately there are no one note sambas, girls from Impanema, waves or any other wore out overplayed hits. The selected tunes all sound refreshing and still new, or nuevo.

There is a bit of horn double tracking here and there, which makes for interesting tone colors that this group could probably explore further. Six tracks feature added bass and percussion, which adds some depth and variety, I just wish that Luis Landa-Schreitt’s percussion had been mixed a little louder, particularly on the more up tempo numbers.