Brazilian sojourn offers more than just relaxing sounds

Guitarist Chuck Loeb and his band use energy, strong performances and good stage presence to bring life to a show that threatens a too-gentle evening.

Face it: A promised outing of bossa nova suggests an evening that has your feet deep in the sand as the sound of the waves brings on a nap.

But Loeb, his wife, singer Carmen Cuesta, and saxophonist Eric Marienthal lead the way to a lively show this weekend in the North Side.

It is a show that has some gentle bossa novas and sambas, but also has Loeb's own lively "The Music Inside." That song gives him and Marienthal the chance to show off more aggressive work in a bit of Brazilian-flavored contemporary jazz.

Loeb has a good stage manner and told stories about his addiction to Brazilian music and how it led to work with saxophone master Stan Getz. That brought about him meeting his wife, who came to a club in Madrid to see them.

He and other members of the band also did a short bit of bossa-boosting, insisting the rhythm is universal and can fit any song. To illustrate that, they played South American versions of the "Hallejulah Chorus," the opening theme from Ludwig van Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and even the "Jeopardy" theme.

While that humor gives the evening a lively touch, the music, naturally, is the strongest part. While none of the players, save Marienthal, comes close to being a virtuoso, they all perform well in solo and ensemble roles.

Loeb opened Thursday's first show with a medley of Antonio Carlos Jobim songs. It started with a trio of Loeb, drummer Cliff Almond and pianist Matt King doing "Desifinado."

As the band went into each new song, another member of the band came to the stage. Bassist Will Lee of the "Late Show with David Letterman" fame, percussionist Cafe and Marienthal helped to create a full sound by the time the band was playing "Girl From Ipanema."

Cuesta added a strong vocal element, doing well-known songs such as "How Insensitive" and "No More Blues." She also offered her own original "Si," and a lovely "A Delicate Love," written by their daughter.

Duets of different kinds were two of the best bits of the show. Cuesta and Loeb did a beautiful version of the theme from "Black Orpheus" and then Lee put down his bass to join Cuesta on voice in Jobim's famous "Waters of March."

The show never showed a hint of repetitiveness even though it stayed in one genre. That is a statement that is hard to make about many concerts. Additional Information:

Chuck Loeb

When: 7 and 9:30 p.m. today; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Admission: $37.50

Where: Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, 1815 Metropolitan St., North Side

Details: 412-322-0800