Baião Malandro (Smart Baião) by Egberto Gismonti is a mischievous, rhythmically engaging as well as ambiguous, and aggressive composition. The popular baião rhythm originated in the north-east of Brazil and was pioneered by the folk-singer Luiz Gonzaga. Like many of Gismonti’s works, Baião Malandro differs in each of its incarnations due to the improvisatory nature of the composer’s performances. The particular version that James Jervis has chosen to arrange appears on Gismonti’s album ‘Alma’ where it can be heard in the form of a piano solo with synthesised sounds.