Lucky Charm: Sammy Figueroa and Glaucia Nasser Bring Brazilian Song and Latin Jazz Together in a Beautiful Accident on 'Talisman'
Famed jazz percussionist Sammy Figueroa and Brazilian singer-songwriter Glaucia Nasser got together with producer Rachel Faro in Sao Paulo and created an album that presents a perfect balance of great musicianship and soaring vocals. Featuring guitarist Chico Pinheiro, pianist/composer Bianca Gismonti and pandeiro virtuoso Bernardo Aquilar this album is full of surprises. Sammy’s percussion flows beneath the songs, with bursts of Uruguayan candombe, Cuban bata, Puerto Rican bomba and of course carnival samba, enhanced by the multiple guitars of Chico Pinheiro and Michi Ruzitschka. Representing the rich Minas Gerais tradition of Clara Nunes and Milton Nascimento, Glaucia’s pure sound is aspirational and heartfelt, transcending language. And yet, African roots are always present, as in the classic Ilu-aye and the one English language song, dedicated to Nelson Mandela. ‘Like peanut butter and chocolate’, this combination of Latin jazz percussion and Brazilian song result in a delicious and unexpected treat. read more: http://sammyglaucia.rockpaperscissors.biz
with special guests Bianca Gismonti and Chico Pinheiro Accidents can happen—and sometimes they bring good things. When Brazilian singer Glaucia Nasser appeared at a concert at WDNA’s Jazz Gallery in Miami, she had no idea that a chance meeting there would change her life. But it was there she was introduced to the famed Latin jazz percussionist Sammy Figueroa. “I was just the opening act,” Nasser recalls, “but I talked to Sammy after the show and told him about my idea for mixing my voice with his style.” Figueroa has long been known for his inventive and flexible approach to percussion and has played with everyone from Miles Davis to Mariah Carey. He was there as a fan of the main act, Brazilian jazz guitarist Chico Pinheiro, but when he heard Nasser, he was convinced: “Glaucia was charismatic, so original in her approach to music. And she had a gorgeous voice.” Fast forward to the result of that encounter. Figueroa brought in his long-time producer and partner Rachel Faro, who immediately loved the concept. Together, the three of them created Talisman (Savant Records; release: September 9, 2014), a breathtaking mix of popular song from Nasser’s homeland, which balances her soaring vocals and Figueroa and the band’s bubbling Latin rhythms. “This is the music of my heart,” Nasser says. “It’s an expression of love. We just let things happen. Some people thought Brazilian and Latin music couldn’t work together, but this proves it’s a beautiful combination.” {full story below} After their serendipitous Miami meeting, Nasser pursued her dream, inviting Figueroa to Brazil with his band and producing a concert where Latin jazz could meet Brazilian sounds. When the show finally happened a year later, it was as evocative as everyone hoped. “I sang with his band and he played congas with mine,” Nasser recalls. “Naturally, we knew we had to make an album together.” In December 2013, Figueroa and Faro joined Nasser in São Paulo where they put together a band of extraordinary musicians and decided which songs to record. They settled into NaCena Studios and began three days of intense rehearsals, followed by three days of even more intense recording. “NaCena is like the old RCA Studios in New York from the 1970s,” Figueroa recalls. “A big wooden room, the kind of place where creative things happen. We had Bernardo Aguiar, one of Rio’s hottest young sambistas—he made the pandeiro sound like a whole drum kit! And Glaucia brought in this amazing young bass player, Fernando Rosa.” Percussionist Chrys Galante added Brazilian touches to Figueroa’s bubbling conga patterns. Austrian guitarist Michi Ruzitschka brought lovely West African-inspired guitar to many of the tracks and proved fundamental to the arrangements and overall sound of the album.
“Sammy, Michi, and the band worked hard on the arrangements during the rehearsals,” adds Faro, an award-winning record producer of artists from Eddie Palmieri to Vocal Sampling and a singer-songwriter with a long history of folding unexpected global sounds into catchy songs. “By the time we went into the studio, it was just about playing, having fun. The musicians were very relaxed and there was a lot of interaction between Glaucia and the players. It’s really both a vocal and an instrumental album.” read more: https://www.storyamp.com/dispatch/10286/9NBloqWFV_ud81-exbeu2A?recipient_id=110969
Sammy Figueroa has long been regarded as one of the world's great musicians. As one of the world's leading percussionists he has played on countless records, providing the rhythmical framework for hundreds of hits. Well-known for his versatility and professionalism, he is one of the few percussionists equally comfortable in a multitude of styles, from R & B to rock to pop to bebop to Latin to Brazilian to New Age.
As one of New York's most sought after session players Sammy played on countless albums, jingles and film scores and appeared often with both The David Letterman Band and the Saturday Night Live Band. He has recorded and toured with Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers (for 12 years!), Sonny Rollins, Michel Camilo (who wrote the tune 'And Sammy Walked In' in his honor), Chaka Khan, David Bowie, and Mariah Carey (in her multi-million selling MTV Unplugged). Sammy's famed sense of humor, ebullient personality, and open-heartedness is famous within the music industry and has further empowered him in his connection with musicians and audiences alike.
After many years as one of the world's leading players, Sammy has in recent years firmly established himself as a bandleader and artist. It is rare for a successful professional musician such as Sammy to make the transition from sideman to leader in what some might term "the middle years". Even more unlikely would be for both of this artist's first two albums to each be honored with Grammy Nominations.
But since Sammy Figueroa became a leader in his own right the role has fit him comfortably, as if that was always his destiny. Sammy Figueroa is currently considered to be the most likely candidate to inherit the mantles of Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto as one of the world's great congueros. When Sammy plays percussion he tells a story, taking the listener on a journey.
Sammy Figueroa was born in the Bronx, New York, the son of the well-known romantic singer Charlie Figueroa and a member of Puerto Rico's foremost musical family. His first professional experience came at the age of 18, while attending the University of Puerto Rico, with the band of bassist Bobby Valentin. During this time he cofounded the innovative fusion Brazilian/Latin group Raices, which broke ground for many of today's fusion bands. Raices was signed to a contract with Atlantic Records and Sammy returned to New York.
Since then Sammy has played with a multitude of distinguished jazz and Latin jazz artists including Sonny Rollins, Dave Sanborn, Quincy Jones, Dave Grusin, George Benson, Chet Baker, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington, Jr., Al Jarreau, Lena Horne, Joe Williams, Mark Murphy, Mike Mainieri, Nestor Torres, Chico O'Farrill, Mike Stern, Dave Valentin, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D'Rivera, Ruben Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Tania Maria, Jorge Ben Jor, Daniella Mercury, Tom Jones, James Taylor, Dr. John, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Celine Dion, Natalie Merchant, Luther Vandross, Ashford & Simpson, Anita Baker, Roberta Flack, David Lee Roth, Hall & Oates, Joe Cocker, Rickie Lee Jones, Annie Lennox and many, many more.
In the spirit of experimentation he has recorded and appeared with "New Age" artists such as Paul Winter, Glen Velez and Michael Schrieve and some of Europe's greatest electronica artists, including Vienna's dZihan & Kamien and the UK's Mark De Clive-Lowe. He has also taught numerous clinics and master classes in connection with his endorsement arrangement with Pearl Percussion.
In addition to his work as a musician, Sammy has also produced or co-produced several important jazz and world music albums, including his own two Grammy�-nominated releases. In 1990 he and producer/musician Rachel Faro (producer of Odetta, Eddie Palmieri, Bobby Sanabria and others) formed Faro Figueroa Productions, which soon became one of the music world's most interesting production team.
Trips to Cuba and Venezuela led to historic productions such as "Una Forma Mas" and "De Vacaciones" by the phenomenal Cuban a cappella group Vocal Sampling (Sire/Elektra), authentic Afro-Cuban rhythms set to modern jazz arrangements in "Cantos: Lazaro Ros con Mezcla" (Intuition), spectacular Cuban jazz recorded in Venezuela with Cuarto Espacio, featuring Omar Hernandez and Ernan Lopez-Nussa (Ash�), and the classic "Celebremos Navidad" (Universal) by cuatro legend and Fania Allstar Yomo Toro. He participated as musician and producer on "Una Sola Casa", an album by Ruben Blades' band, Seis Del Solar.
In 2001 Sammy relocated to South Florida where he discovered a rich treasure trove of Latin jazz virtuosos from Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, along with members of the University of Miami's extraordinary music department, who were developing an alternative to New York's jazz scene. In September 2002 Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion made their debut at the Hollywood Jazz Festival, with special guests Dave Valentin and Ray Vega. Since that time Sammy and his band have been unstoppable and they are now the most exciting group in Latin jazz today. Photo: 2010 JWPAgency / Jim Wadsworth Productions.
As leader of The Latin Jazz Explosion, Sammy empowers his players and has created an ensemble that is astounding in its musical excitement. His first album, "And Sammy Walked In" (on Savant Records), co-produced by longtime production partner Rachel Faro, included music by Michel Camilo, Hermeto Pascual, Eugene Uman and trumpet player John Lovell. His second album, "The Magician", (also on Savant Records), again co-produced with Rachel Faro, features spectacular original compositions by Venezuelans Silvano Monasterios and Gabriel Vivas alongside jazz classics such as Seven Steps and Cedar Walton's Firm Roots. Both albums received Grammy�� Nominations for Best Latin Jazz Album. The group has appeared at countless festivals and clubs, including the San Juan Heineken Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival Miami, New York's Jazz Standard and Palm Beach's Sun Fest.
Gifted with a warm speaking voice and a fanatic knowledge of jazz, Sammy has also found a natural vocation as a radio host. His show "Latin Jazz Quarter" every Friday afternoon on 88.9 FM Serious Jazz Radio in Miami, Florida is one of the station's most popular and has fans that stream it on the internet throughout the world. On this popular show Sammy takes the definition of "Latin Jazz" to a new level, playing music from Turkey to Africa to Native American.
Sammy's residency in South Florida has introduced him to the best of South American music. He has been appearing as a featured artist with the band Brazilian icon Jorge Ben Jor, who has written a song specifically for Sammy. Recently Sammy also appeared with Brazilian superstar Daniela Mercury, performing for over 60,000 fans in the Brazil On The Beach Festival. Other collaborations have been with Grammy� Nominees DJ LeSpam and the Spam Allstars and violinist/composer Alfredo Triff.
In late 2008, 'just for fun', Sammy developed a second band, Sally's Tomato, an exciting tribute to the music of Cal Tjader. With the blessings of Tjader family, this band caught on instantly. From the day of its debut at the 2008 Miami Book Fair, Sally's Tomato has been in demand for live performances, magnetizing a devoted fan base of its own with its breezy tropical, retro sound.
Sammy has also been working closely with Larry Rosen, the legendary record founder of GRP Records, on his highly successful Jazz Roots Concert Series at Adrienne Arsht Center. He recently appeared as a guest star in a tribute to Tito Puente and the Machito Orchestra and will again appear with the Dave Grusin Orchestra in a Jazz Roots revisiting of Grusin's legendary rendering of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story".
Sammy appears in several important books on music and its legends. His relationship with Miles Davis is described at length both in Miles‛ own words in his autobiography entitled "Miles" and in "The Last Miles: The Music of Miles Davis From 1980 - 1991" by George Cole. Anecdotes about Sammy abound in Paquito D‛Rivera‛s amusing book "My Sax Life". Sammy has also been included in The Grove‛s Dictionary of Jazz.
Sammy endorses Pearl Percussion, Sabian Cymbals, and Vic Firth Sticks. In addition, he also plays the ZenDrum, which midis the sampled sounds of Sammy's percussion, and a set of unusual steel pans called Panart Hand Pans.
Date:
Event:
Venue Info:
October 2010
17
SAMMY FIGUEROA & HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION
One Show Only!
8:00 PM Iridium Jazz Club
1650 Broadway (51st St.)
NY NY 10019
212 582 2121
JAZZofilo is a cultural Blog. Our intention is not to commercialize music, but to share with friends the pleasure of listening jazz music and the world of jazz.
The site does not keep music files, but through widgets. You're welcome to submit posts, photos, etc. of jazz related topics.
If for some reason you feel offended by the content of a particular post here that was not our intention. Please let us know and we'll remove it.
Any questions and suggestions, send me to the link: cavalcanticlaudio@yahoo.com
