Charlie Dennard is an American keyboardist, composer and arranger who was the musical director for 3 different Cirque du Soleil shows over the last 15 years. Charlie has performed and recorded internationally with a variety of jazz, blues and world music ensembles as well as theatrical productions. Dennard was a piano student of the legendary Ellis Marsalis at UNO (MM '02).
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Charlie Dennard es un teclista, compositor y arreglista estadounidense que ha sido director musical de 3 espectáculos diferentes del Cirque du Soleil en los últimos 15 años. Charlie ha actuado y grabado internacionalmente con diversos conjuntos de jazz, blues y músicas del mundo, así como con producciones teatrales. Dennard fue alumno de piano del legendario Ellis Marsalis en la UNO (MM '02).
www.charliedennard.com ...
Review by Scott Yanow
Altoist Bud Shank (who doubles on flute) and acoustic guitarist Laurindo Almeida first teamed up in 1954 to make a couple of albums called Brazilliance that hinted at but greatly predated bossa nova. Shank and Almeida came together 20 years later to form the L.A. Four, a quartet also including bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne. Their debut recording as a unit was made at the 1974 Concord Jazz Festival, and it finds the appealing musicians blending together well on bossa nova tunes (including "Manha de Carnaval"), Almeida's classical-oriented originals, and some swing. This was a particularly inventive chamber jazz band.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-la-4-scores%21-mw0000196876
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Reseña de Scott Yanow
El altoista Bud Shank (que toca la flauta) y el guitarrista acústico Laurindo Almeida se unieron por primera vez en 1954 para hacer un par de álbumes llamados Brazilliance que insinuaban pero eran muy anteriores a la bossa nova. Shank y Almeida se unieron 20 años después para formar L. A. Four, un cuarteto que también incluía al bajista Ray Brown y la baterista Shelly Manne. Su grabación debut como unidad se realizó en el Festival de Jazz de Concord de 1974, y encuentra a los atractivos músicos mezclándose bien en melodías de bossa nova( incluida "Manha de Carnaval"), los originales orientados a la música clásica de Almeida y algo de swing. Se trataba de una banda de jazz de cámara particularmente inventiva.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-la-4-scores%21-mw0000196876
Colaborador / Contributor: Ketmokin
Kicking around for fifteen years in the inter-continental Soul Jazz scene, Portuguese based outfit The Bahama Soul Club treats the audience to purest sunshine on their new album "Sundub Society"! This is the group's sixth studio LP, which finds its spirit on the coasts of the Algarve, where it was recorded.
A commitment to a colourful community and inspired by the blissful energies of the sun drenched coast and the multicultural verve of tattooed wave riders, spiritual seekers, rainbow healers, mystic maidens and dreadlocked beauties, .... and of course the funky smell of sandy flip flops.
Lush arrangements painted with sun-soaked brushes, captivating hangout vibes, shuffling bits of Reggae, woven threads of 70s roots, traditional rhythms and beats and sounds of the South Western Algarve.
Sincere, artistic, full of spirit and definitely unique. No striving for the worldly charts. An album recorded mainly with the local legends, stoned troubadoures, poetic pirates and tough rebels.
The songs were born from a vague idea after the release of "Bohemia After Dawn", the last album on which a few artist friends from the Algarve had already contributed.
There is always a special magic in the neighborhood when sunny midday jams morph to sundown sessions to party-till-dawn skanks. We then just put those jams on tape. So, ten sundubby love songs to 'Oh, those sandy beaches!' The SUNDUB SOCIETY, my lovely family at the End Of The World: Josephine Nightingale, Tiago Saga, Ally Garrido, Naomi Falcon, Cutty Wren, Hedvig Larsson, Chicks On Beer, etc. …
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Pateando durante quince años en la escena intercontinental del Soul Jazz, el equipo portugués Bahama Soul Club deleita al público con el sol más puro en su nuevo álbum "Sundub Society". Este es el sexto LP de estudio del grupo, que encuentra su espíritu en las costas del Algarve, donde fue grabado.
Un compromiso con una comunidad colorida e inspirada por las energías dichosas de la costa bañada por el sol y el entusiasmo multicultural de los jinetes de olas tatuados, buscadores espirituales, curanderos del arcoíris, doncellas místicas y bellezas con rastas .... y, por supuesto, el olor funky de las chanclas de arena.
Exuberantes arreglos pintados con pinceles bañados por el sol, cautivadoras vibraciones de lugares de reunión, barajando fragmentos de Reggae, hilos tejidos de raíces de los 70, ritmos tradicionales y ritmos y sonidos del suroeste del Algarve.
Sincero, artístico, lleno de espíritu y definitivamente único. Nada de luchar por los gráficos mundanos. Un disco grabado principalmente con las leyendas locales, trovadores apedreados, piratas poéticos y rebeldes rudos.
Las canciones nacieron de una idea vaga después del lanzamiento de "Bohemia After Dawn", el último álbum en el que ya habían contribuido algunos artistas amigos del Algarve.
Siempre hay una magia especial en el vecindario cuando las soleadas mermeladas del mediodía se transforman en sesiones al atardecer para festejar hasta el amanecer. Luego simplemente grabamos esos atascos. Entonces, diez canciones de amor de sundubby para ' ¡Oh, esas playas de arena!'La SOCIEDAD SUNDUB, mi encantadora familia en el Fin del Mundo: Josephine Nightingale, Tiago Saga, Ally Garrido, Naomi Falcon, Cutty Wren, Hedvig Larsson, Chicks On Beer, etc. …
facebook.com/bahamasoulclub ...
Biography by Alvaro Neder
Baden
Powell is a Brazilian musician with a solid international reputation. A
gifted instrumentalist and composer, he bridges the gap between
classical artistry and popular warmth and was a key figure in the bossa
nova movement.
Born in Varre-Sai in the state of Rio de Janeiro,
he was baptized after his grandfather, a musician and conductor himself,
whose father was an admirer of the Boy Scouts founder. When he was four
months old, his family moved to the hill of São Cristóvão in the city
of Rio. His father, the violonista Lino de Aquino, promoted regular
get-togethers (rodas) of chorões at his home, at which famous names of
Rio's music used to play, such as Pixinguinha, his brother China, the
sambista Donga, and so many others. At eight, his father took him to
Rádio Nacional where Powell met Meira (Jaime Florence), a famous
violonista at the time a member of Benedicto Lacerda's regional. Powell
would study violão with him for five years. Through Meira, a
broad-minded musician, he discovered classics such as Segovia and
Tarrega, along with Brazilian masters such as Garoto and Dilermando
Reis. At nine, he presented himself at Renato Murce's show Papel Carbono
on Rádio Nacional, winning first place as a guitar soloist. At 13, he
used to run from school, earning his first cachets at the neighborhood
parties. After finishing high school, he joined the cast of Rádio
Nacional as an accompanist. In that time, he traveled through Brazil
with the radio's singers. In 1955, he joined Ed Lincoln's trio, playing
jazz at the Plaza nightclub. The place was a focal point for musicians,
journalists, and aficionados interested in jazz. It should be regarded
as the second place where bossa nova was being generated (the first
being Cantina do César, after Johnny Alf's first appearances), contrary
to the common notion of bossa being born at Zona Sul (South side's)
apartments.
At that time, Powell began to compose "Deve Ser
Amor," "Encontro Com a Saudade," "Não é Bem Assim," and his first big
hit, 1956's "Samba Triste," with lyrics by Billy Blanco and which would
be recorded by Lúcio Alves in 1960. In 1962, he met his future partner,
Vinícius de Moraes, a composer, poet, singer, and diplomat. Their first
song was "Canção de Ninar Meu Bem," a great success from the beginning.
Following that, they came up with "Samba em Prelúdio" (recorded still in
1962 by Geraldo Vandré/Ana Lúcia), "Consolação" (recorded by Nara
Leão), "Samba da Bênção," "Tem Dó," "Só por Amor," "Bom Dia, Amigo,"
"Labareda," and "Samba do Astronauta" (recorded by Powell in 1964). At
this point, Powell was already a renowned musician and composer, with
good connections on the artistic scene and wide exposure in the media.
In that year, he accompanied Sílvia Telles at her famous show at the
Jirau nightclub. In 1963, he recorded his first LP, Um Violão na
Madrugada (Philips). In that year, he traveled to Paris where he
presented himself at the Olympia theater with great success, using a
repertoire of classical music and his own compositions. He also played
regularly in a season at the Bilboquet nightclub and composed the
soundtrack to the movie Le Grabuje. In 1964, he returned to Brazil and
recorded the LP À Vontade, which included a composition by Tom Jobim and
Vinícius, "Samba do Avião." He also wrote, in that year, the samba
"Berimbau" with lyrics by Vinícius. Other duo's compositions that year
were "Além do Amor," "Valsa sem Nome," "Deve ser Amor," "Canção do Amor
Ausente," "Consolação," "Deixa," "Amei Tanto," "Tempo Feliz," and "Samba
da Bênção." The latter was included in Claude Lelouch's movie Un Homme
et une Femme, under the title "Samba Saravah."
Traveling to
Bahia, Powell stayed there for six months and researched the Afro
traditions developed on Brazilian soil, especially the musical tradition
emanating from the ancient sorcery rituals of candomblé and umbanda.
The next phase of his compositional association with Vinícius would be
called by Powell as the Afro-sambas, mirroring the findings of that
period: 1965's "Tristeza e Solidão" and "Bocoché" and 1966's "Canto do
Xangô" and "Canto de Ossanha," the latter recorded by Elis Regina in
1966 with great success. Taking Bahia folklore, Powell added his Carioca
touch, bringing the Afro tradition a more Brazilian feeling. In 1999,
Powell, recently converted, regretted and deplored the Afro-samba phase
as "devil's music" in a controverted and disappointing interview.
In
1965, fundamental singer Elizeth Cardoso presented Powell/Vinícius'
"Valsa do Amor que Não Vem" at the first Festival of Brazilian Popular
Music (TV Excelsior), São Paulo, winning second place. The next year,
Aluísio de Oliveira produced another album by Powell, this time for his
own landmark label Elenco, that deeply engaged in the use of the best
musicians, leaving the commercial side in the background; unfortunately,
it caused the excellent label's demise some years later. Taking
advantage of the Brazilian tour of Caterina Valente, who was being
accompanied by drummer Jimmy Pratt, de Oliveira took him and recorded
Baden Powell Swings With Jimmy Pratt. Also in that year, TV Excelsior
promoted the National Festival of Popular Music, at which novice Milton
Nascimento won fourth place with "Cidade Vazia" (Powell/Lula Freire) and
Powell with Vinícius recorded their Afro-sambas "Canto de Xangô,"
"Canto de Iemanjá," and "Canto de Ossanha" for Forma, along with
"Berimbau" and "Samba da Bênção." He also took a season with Elis Regina
at Rio's nightclub Zum-Zum. The LPs O Mundo Musical de Baden Powell
(Barclay/RGE), recorded in France; Baden Powell ao Vivo no Teatro Santa
Rosa (Elenco); and Tempo Feliz
(Forma/Philips) were all recorded
in 1966. In that period, he played in the U.S. with Stan Getz. In 1967,
he recorded in Paris, France, the album O Mundo Musical No. 2,
accompanied by the Paris Symphonic Orchestra. In that year, his O Mundo
Musical de Baden Powell was awarded with the Golden Record in Paris and
he presented himself at the Jazz Festival in Berlin, Germany, with
American jazz guitarists Jim Hall and Barney Kessel. In 1968, a novice
Paulo César Pinheiro (now a renowned samba composer) composed with
Powell the samba "Lapinha," which was presented by Elis Regina at the TV
Record's first Samba Biennial, winning first place. The duo would also
compose, among others, "Cancioneiro," "Samba do Perdão," "Meu Réquiem,"
"É de Lei," "Refém da Solidão," "Aviso aos Navegantes," and "Carta de
Poeta." Also from 1968 is the LP Baden Powell (Elenco) with the famous
"Manhã de Carnaval" or "Carnival," by Luís Bonfá and Antônio Maria, and
the show O Mundo Musical de Baden Powell. In 1969, he recorded Vinte e
Sete Horas de Estúdio (Elenco). Next year in Paris, he recorded for
Barklay the three-album box set Baden Powell Quartet and the LP Baden
Powell, which had Pixinguinha's songs. For Elenco, he recorded the LP
Estudos. In 1972, he recorded for Philips the LP É de Lei. Solitude on
Guitar was recorded the next year in Germany and in 1974, he recorded in
Paris the live LP Baden Powell (Barklay/RGE), and in 1975 recorded the
LP Baden Powell Trio & Ópera de Frankfurt. He then moved to
Baden-Baden (Germany), staying there for four years. In 1994, already
living in Brazil again, he released the record Baden Powell de Rio à
Paris. In that same year, he performed together with his sons, Louis
Marcel (violão) and Phillipe (piano), at the Cecília Meireles Hall in
Rio, with the concert recorded and released on a CD, titled Baden Powell
& Filhos, through CID. In 1995, his concert at the Montreux
Festival was recorded on CD under the title Baden Powell Live in
Montreux. Also in that year, he was awarded with the Prêmio Shell for
his complete works. In 1996, he toured in France with Brazilian
accordionist Sivuca and recorded the CD Baden Powell Live at the Rio
Jazz Club. After spending several weeks in the hospital, Baden Powell
died on September 26, 2000, at the age of 63.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/baden-powell-mn0000765585#biography
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Biography by Scott Yanow
Throughout his career, Zoot Sims was famous for epitomizing the swinging musician, never playing an inappropriate phrase. He
always sounded inspired, and although his style did not change much
after the early 1950s, Zoot's enthusiasm and creativity never wavered.
Zoot's family was involved in vaudeville, and he played drums and clarinet as a youth. His older brother, Ray Sims, developed into a fine trombonist who sounded like Bill Harris. At
age 13, Sims switched permanently to the tenor, and his initial
inspiration was Lester Young, although he soon developed his own
cool-toned sound. Sims
was a professional by the age of 15, landing his first important job
with Bobby Sherwood's Orchestra, and he joined Benny Goodman's big band
for the first time in 1943; he would be one of BG's favorite tenormen
for the next 30 years. He recorded with Joe Bushkin in 1944, and even at that early stage, his style was largely set.
After a period in the Army, Sims was with Goodman from 1946-1947. He gained his initial fame as one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" during his time with the Second Herd (1947-1949). Zoot had brief stints with Buddy Rich's short-lived big band, Artie Shaw, Goodman (1950), Chubby Jackson, and Elliot Lawrence. He toured and recorded with Stan Kenton (1953) and Gerry Mulligan (1954-1956). Sims
was also a star soloist with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band of the early
'60s and visited the Soviet Union with Benny Goodman in 1962. A
freelancer throughout most of his career, Sims often led his own combos
or co-led bands with his friend Al Cohn; the two tenors had very
similar sounds and styles. Zoot started doubling on soprano quite effectively in the '70s. Through the years, he appeared in countless situations, and always seemed to come out ahead. Fortunately,
Zoot Sims recorded frequently, leading sessions for Prestige,
Metronome, Vogue, Dawn, Storyville, Argo, ABC-Paramount, Riverside,
United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Bethlehem, Colpix, Impulse, Groove
Merchant, Famous Door, Choice, Sonet, and a wonderful series for Pablo.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/zoot-sims-mn0000228087/biography
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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Review
by Richard S. Ginell
The first of several tribute albums issued just after Antonio Carlos Jobim's death, this one generally sticks to his most famous songs as interpreted by several Brazilian and American artists from PolyGram's archives. Jobim himself appears on such obvious choices as the best-selling Stan Getz, João Gilberto, and Astrud Gilberto hit "The Girl from Ipanema," and with Astrud on "Agua de Beber" and "Dindi," and again with Elis Regina on an "Aguas de Marco" that nearly breaks up with laughter. The American contributions are a mixed bag; Sarah Vaughan's "Corcovado," for example, is rather inappropriately overwrought but Wes Montgomery's "Insensatez" is a beautiful recording, with Jobim's favored arranger, Claus Ogerman, in top wistful form. The other jazzers on the CD are Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Shirley Horn, and Dizzy Gillespie, proving that Jobim's timelessly aching music attracted quite a diverse cross-section of admirers.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-girl-from-ipanema-the-antonio-carlos-jobim-songbook-mw0000172666
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Reseña
por Richard S. Ginell
El primero de varios álbumes de homenaje publicados justo después de la muerte de Antonio Carlos Jobim, se ciñe en general a sus canciones más famosas interpretadas por varios artistas brasileños y estadounidenses de los archivos de PolyGram. El propio Jobim aparece en opciones tan obvias como el éxito de Stan Getz, João Gilberto y Astrud Gilberto "The Girl from Ipanema", y con Astrud en "Agua de Beber" y "Dindi", y de nuevo con Elis Regina en un "Aguas de Marco" que casi se rompe de risa. Las contribuciones americanas son un conjunto mixto; "Corcovado" de Sarah Vaughan, por ejemplo, es más bien inapropiadamente exagerado, pero "Insensatez" de Wes Montgomery es una hermosa grabación, con el arreglista favorito de Jobim, Claus Ogerman, en la mejor forma melancólica. Los otros jazzistas que aparecen en el CD son Billy Eckstine, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Shirley Horn y Dizzy Gillespie, lo que demuestra que la música intemporal de Jobim atrajo a una gran variedad de admiradores.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-girl-from-ipanema-the-antonio-carlos-jobim-songbook-mw0000172666
Review:
by Thom Jurek
This very evocative 1965 recording session was a cause for celebration not only among critics but among the bossa nova-crazed audiences of Brazil and the U.S, and it sold quite well. Donato is a jazz pianist first, and his allegiances in harmony and melody come from there first and foremost. But rhythmically and in his phrasing, he comes from the generation of Brazilian musicians who developed the bossa nova as an art form. His touch is light, his settings are lush and laid-back, and his playing is as much or more from his left hand as his right. Solos on these records are wonderfully improvised, but they reflect the sweet, gorgeous melodies on the front line of these tunes. As such, Donato comes across as an elegant pianist and ensemble player, establishing his individual touch as a leader in that left hand rhythmic bent where he loves those shaded keys. His finest compositions here are his own: the sensual "Amazon," the slightly sassy and savvy "It Didn't End," and his reading of Luiz Bonfá's "Samba de Orfeu," which rivals the original for its ambience and texture with a gorgeous string arrangement courtesy of conductor Claus Ogerman. This is one of Brazil's more moving and beautiful bossa albums, and should not be overlooked by recent fans of the genre or by jazz fans interested in the exotic side of the music.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-new-sound-of-brazil-piano-of-jo%C3%A3o-donato-mw0000460348
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Revisión:
por Thom Jurek
Esta sesión de grabación de 1965, muy evocadora, fue motivo de celebración no sólo entre los críticos sino también entre el público loco por la bossa nova de Brasil y Estados Unidos, y se vendió bastante bien. Donato es, ante todo, un pianista de jazz, y de ahí provienen, en primer lugar, su armonía y su melodía. Pero rítmicamente y en su fraseo, proviene de la generación de músicos brasileños que desarrollaron la bossa nova como forma de arte. Su toque es ligero, sus ajustes son exuberantes y relajados, y su forma de tocar es tanto o más de su mano izquierda como de la derecha. Los solos de estos discos son maravillosamente improvisados, pero reflejan las dulces y magníficas melodías en primera línea de estas melodías. Como tal, Donato se presenta como un elegante pianista y músico de conjunto, estableciendo su toque individual como líder en esa inclinación rítmica de la mano izquierda donde ama esas teclas sombreadas. Sus mejores composiciones aquí son las suyas: la sensual "Amazon", la ligeramente atrevida y astuta "It Didn't End", y su lectura de la "Samba de Orfeu" de Luiz Bonfá, que rivaliza con la original por su ambiente y textura con un magnífico arreglo de cuerdas cortesía del director Claus Ogerman. Este es uno de los discos de bossa más conmovedores y hermosos de Brasil, y no debería ser pasado por alto por los aficionados recientes al género o por los fans del jazz interesados en el lado exótico de la música.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-new-sound-of-brazil-piano-of-jo%C3%A3o-donato-mw0000460348
Biography by Scott Yanow
Altoist/flutist Bud Shank and Brazilian acoustic guitarist Laurindo Almeida first teamed up in the 1950s to create music that predated but strongly hinted at bossa nova. In 1974, they reunited to form the L.A. Four with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Chuck Flores. With Shelly Manne and later Jeff Hamilton replacing Flores on drums, the L.A. Four recorded eight albums for Concord through 1982, breaking up shortly afterward. Their mixture of cool-toned bop, Brazilian-oriented music, and ballads was quite attractive.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-la-4-mn0000090637#biography
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Biografía de Scott Yanow
El alto flautista Bud Shank y el guitarrista acústico brasileño Laurindo Almeida se unieron por primera vez en la década de 1950 para crear una música anterior a la bossa nova, aunque con fuertes guiños a ésta. En 1974, se reunieron para formar los L.A. Four con el bajista Ray Brown y el batería Chuck Flores. Con Shelly Manne y más tarde Jeff Hamilton sustituyendo a Flores en la batería, los L.A. Four grabaron ocho álbumes para Concord hasta 1982, separándose poco después. Su mezcla de bop fresco, música brasileña y baladas era bastante atractiva.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-la-4-mn0000090637#biography
Colaborador / Contributor: Ketmokin
Biography by Alvaro Neder
Since the '70s, Marcos Ariel has dedicated himself to Brazilian instrumental music and jazz, reaching international status throughout the next decade. Ariel studied classical music in his childhood, being attracted to jazz later by the likes of Hermeto Pascoal and Chick Corea. He formed his first band, Grupo Usina, in 1978. His debut album, Bambu, was released in Brazil and France. In Brazil, it was awarded with the Chiquinha Gonzaga prize in 1983. In 1986, Ariel participated in São Paulo's Free Jazz Festival, and in the next year, along with his participation in Rio's edition of the same festival, he recorded the memorable Banda Zil with Ricardo Silveira, Zé Renato, and others. But it was Terra do Índio (1988) that projected him in the U.S., a country in which Ariel has been performing regularly ever since.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/marcos-ariel-mn0000953860/biography
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Biografía de Alvaro Neder
Desde los años 70, Marcos Ariel se ha dedicado a la música instrumental brasileña y al jazz, alcanzando un estatus internacional a lo largo de la siguiente década. Ariel estudió música clásica en su infancia, y más tarde se sintió atraído por el jazz de la mano de artistas como Hermeto Pascoal y Chick Corea. Formó su primera banda, el Grupo Usina, en 1978. Su primer álbum, Bambu, se publicó en Brasil y Francia. En Brasil, recibió el premio Chiquinha Gonzaga en 1983. En 1986, Ariel participó en el Festival de Jazz Libre de São Paulo, y al año siguiente, junto con su participación en la edición de Río del mismo festival, grabó la memorable Banda Zil con Ricardo Silveira, Zé Renato y otros. Pero fue Terra do Índio (1988) el que le proyectó en Estados Unidos, país en el que Ariel actúa regularmente desde entonces.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/marcos-ariel-mn0000953860/biography
www.marcosariel.com ...
Colaborador / Contributor: Pere