DANI GURGEL trilhou uma escalada de instrumento a instrumento até encontrar o seu: a voz. Como instrumentista foram 15 anos. Dani foi saxofonista da big band regida por Roberto Sion e da banda que acompanhava o Zimbo Trio. Foi quando nasceram suas primeiras músicas que começou a cantá-las, despretensiosamente, no grupo de compositores “Quincas”.
Ao montar o repertório de seu primeiro show solo, após bastante dedicação ao novo instrumento, Dani Gurgel decidiu-se pelas canções de seus contemporâneos, ao invés das já consagradas. Assim surgiu a série de shows “Dani Gurgel e Novos Compositores”, que direcionou o repertório de seus três discos e foi tema do concerto que fez junto com a Orquestra Tom Jobim, como convidada e curadora.
A cantora e compositora foi vencedora na categoria música popular do Prêmio Nascente, mantido pela USP, onde se formou em Comunicação Social. Da faculdade, ela traz o interesse pelas mudanças na música com o digital, já abordado no seu trabalho de conclusão de curso em 2007, e também a busca incansável por novos meios de levar seu som até o público.
AGORA – Dani Gurgel e Novos Compositores, terceiro disco da cantora e compositora paulistana Dani Gurgel, é inspirado na série de shows homônima apresentada em 2007, na qual Dani convidava seus contemporâneos a participarem dos shows e apresentarem suas músicas. O novo trabalho reúne canções inéditas e conta com a participação de 23 jovens músicos da nova cena musical brasileira. Um trabalho eclético, amarrado pela interpretação de Dani, combinada com cada convidado. Brincando, vai do jazz ao pop. Há sambas, como “Linha na Pipa”, de Vinicius Calderoni, grooves, por exemplo, “Clinch”, de Danilo Moraes e Ricardo Teté, e outros quase eruditos, como a canção “Depois”, parceria de Dani com Tatiana Parra. credits released 16 September 2009 Produzido por Thiago Rabello Co-produzido e idealizado por Dani Gurgel
Dani Gurgel [voz] Thiago Rabello [bateria] Debora Gurgel [piano] Daniel Amorin [baixo acústico e elétrico] Michi Ruzitschka [violão e guitarra] André Kurchal [percussão]
Participação especial: Conrado Goys [violão] em "Lé com Cré" Jaziel Gomes [trombone] em "Clinch" Ubaldo Versolato [clarinete e clarone] em "Lé com Cré" e "Depois"
E os compositores, que participam em suas respectivas canções: Rafa Barreto, Vinicius Calderoni, Danilo Moraes, Ricardo Teté, Dani Black, Leo Versolato, Tatiana Parra, Tó Brandileone, Leo Bianchini, Demetrius Lulo, Wagner Barbosa, Ricardo Barros.
Gretchen Parlato´s voice is a thing of wonder. Striking the ideal balance between precision and flexibility, she is never predictable, blurring the lines between singer and instrumentalist as she takes a lyric—and at other times improvised flights of wordless fancy—to places it´s never before been. On In a Dream, her debut album for ObliqSound, which releases August 25, Parlato and her intuitive support team reinvent constantly, Parlato impeccably articulating in a voice so ethereal that the listener might very well feel that he or she is "in a dream."
Coming four years after her self-titled debut, In a Dream finds Parlato embarking on a beguiling journey deep into the heart of both her own compositions and classic material by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and others—all of which she instantly makes her own. Each song emerges as a unique world unto itself, yet there´s an undeniable thread linking them all together.
Aligning with a virtuosic quartet she describes as "inspiring, creative, sensitive, musical souls"—Lionel Loueke on guitar, Aaron Parks on piano and Fender Rhodes, Derrick Hodge on acoustic and electric bass, and drummer Kendrick Scott—Parlato brings the warmth and compelling command of her much-heralded live performances to 10 exquisite new peeks into her artistic personality. In a Dream firmly places Gretchen Parlato in the upper echelon of today´s vocal artists.
Both Hancock and Shorter are already fans. Hancock has said that Parlato has a "deep, almost magical connection to the music," and Shorter has said "in an inconspicuous way, Gretchen plays the same instrument as Frank Sinatra."
Michele Locatelli, the album´s producer and co-founder of ObliqSound, notes that Parlato´s desire to blend a broad range of musical influences sets her apart. "Even though her means of expression is jazz-based, it goes beyond that. The defining thing about her, however, is her subtle sense of rhythm and timing: she makes a song seem easy when it´s not."
From the opening number, her interpretation of Wonder´s "I Can´t Help It," best known via Michael Jackson´s rendition, Parlato´s extraordinary vocal calisthenics, immaculate sense of timing and nuanced phrasing are in full bloom. Parlato transforms the song into a breathy neo-bossa nova, joined solely by Loueke´s closely intertwined, sweet guitar lines and vocalized percussion and bass accompaniment. "The song just grew organically and has continued to develop every time we play it," Parlato says.
The song list runs the gamut from classic Brazilian—"Doralice," learned from the legendary singer/guitarist Jo„o Gilberto—to the flowing "Turning Into Blue," penned by the bassist Alan Hampton, with lyrics by Parlato based on Buddhist teachings. The way in which she stretches out the word "turning," then catches up with "into blue" is indicative of Parlato´s innate ability to work miracles with a lyric and hold the listener´s attention via her ingenuity. Ellington´s "Azure," says Parlato, "taps into that dreamlike state we can be in when we long for someone and feel completely alone. I love to reveal the beauty in the darkness." Performed in a 5/4 rhythm, the track features a stunning bass solo by Hodge.
Hancock´s "Butterfly," she says, "is about the beauty of simplicity and space. I arranged it so that we could play around rhythmically, while still allowing the lyrics to shine through." In this arrangement, Parlato stays on top of the groove without deviating, even while exploring every nuance it has to offer. Shorter´s "ESP," not surprisingly the purest jazz track on In a Dream, eases in via meditative vocalizations and ultimately gives way to Parks´ spellbinding Rhodes solo and intricate drum work from Scott. The title track, with music by the young pianist Robert Glasper and lyrics by Parlato, is appropriately dreamy, a groove-based, harmony-rich rumination on the otherworldly quality of being in love.
Two tracks, "Within Me" and "On the Other Side," arrived via guitarist Francis Jacob. On the first, Parlato´s vocal sneaks in with a whisper, then barely rises, yet remains dynamic and alluring. Appropriately introspective, she drills deep inside of the lyric and instinctively delivers it the way it begs to be delivered. The latter song is more rambunctious, a tight weave of precision, melody and heart. "Weak," which closes the album, was originally performed by the R&B trio SWV in 1992. Says Parlato, "I thought it would be cool to sing this song in a new way and have people say, ´Wait, why do I know this?´"
The theme of the album´s title, In a Dream, runs throughout each song. "Every song has a purpose, relates to my life in some way, and tells a story," Parlato explains. Her own story begins in Los Angeles, where she was born into a highly artistic and musical family that shaped her ears. In her youth, Parlato soaked up every sound that came her way, from rock and pop to classical, musical theatre, soul and R&B and, especially, African percussion and the sensuous rhythms of Brazil—all of which worked its way into her nascent style. Jazz gained a special foothold in her musical life because, she says, it forces an artist "to figure out who you are and find your own voice."
Her talent became apparent in her early childhood—in fact, In a Dream includes a handful of snippets of Parlato belting out songs in perfect rhythm and remarkable pitch at age 2! "I thought it was fitting to try to work these early recordings in with my current music, because it shows the first steps of my musical path, who I am, where I come from," she says. "It makes me realize that music was in me since the very beginning, I had no choice but to pursue it and share it."
As she grew, Parlato´s musical abilities blossomed. She attended the L.A. County High School for the Arts, later graduated from UCLA with a BA in Ethnomusicology/Jazz Studies, then went on to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, as the Institute´s very first vocalist. That was followed by a 2003 move to New York to pursue her dream. A year later, Parlato won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition and, in 2005, self-released her debut.
In the years since, Parlato´s star has only risen. She´s toured internationally with her own band and as a guest of many A-list artists; notable performances include La Villette in Paris with Wayne Shorter as her guest, the Hollywood Bowl with Oscar Castro-Neves, Gal Costa, Ivan Lins, and Dianne Reeves, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. Her recording credits include Terence Blanchard´s 2005 Grammy-nominated album Flow, Kenny Barron´s The Traveler, and Esperanza Spalding´s 2008 self-titled album. She was recently featured in The Documentary Channel´s 4-part series "Icons Among Us: Jazz in the Present Tense," and in a special called "Rising Stars" on Japan´s NHK-TV, with a one-hour focus on Parlato. Glowing reviews have followed her around, such as the one from the New York Times´ Ben Ratliff that singled out her attention to rhythm and dynamics, and proclaimed, "It´s evident that she´s an extraordinary singer."
Adds Lionel Loueke, "She is the only singer that I never have to account for or change the way I play; the guitar and the voice are so well balanced that no one is ever out in front." That is in fact true of each of her accompanists. Inherently aware of the leader´s ability to find herself within a given song, the musicians instinctively find their place alongside her and serve to accent Parlato´s fine-tuned arrangements.
Parlato is understandably proud. "I sing from my heart and soul and hope that people feel that. I just want them to feel something. That could be joy or sadness, as long as it moves them in some way." Anyone who is not moved by In a Dream is quite possibly incapable of moving at all.
Aydar é filha de Mario Manga, integrante do grupo Premê, e de Bia Aydar, produtora de diversos artistas brasileiros, entre os quais Lulu Santos e Luiz Gonzaga. Nesse ambiente, ficava atrás dos palcos, dormia nos camarins [1] e ia junto com os cantores para o estúdio, aprendendo muita coisa só observando.[2][3]
A trajetória musical teve início em 2000. Em 2004, após anos de estudo no Brasil e na Berklee School of Music, em Boston, morou em Paris por um ano. Lá conheceu Seu Jorge, que a convidou para abrir os shows na turnê européia. De volta ao Brasil em 2005, passou a investir no disco de estréia, Kavita 1, lançado em setembro de 2006.[4]
Mariana, que estudou cello, violão e canto,[2] já esteve no palco com Seu Jorge, Elba Ramalho, Dominguinhos, Arnaldo Antunes, Toni Garrido, Samuel Rosa, Daniela Mercury , Céu, João Donato, entre outros.
É considerada como integrante de uma safra de cantoras no cenário da nova MPB.
Em abril de 2007, a música "Deixa o Verão" foi convocada para entrar na trilha sonora do seriado adolescente Malhação 2007, da Rede Globo.
Em agosto para setembro de 2007, Mariana Aydar foi indicada a Revelação no VMB (Video Music Brasil), realizado pela MTV
Em janeiro de 2008, realizou o primeiro show em Salvador, na Praça Tereza Batista, no Pelourinho, para um público superior a mil pessoas totalmente envolvido e conhecedor das ´músicas do repertório da cantora. O show foi uma parceria entre o Projeto Pelourinho Cultural, do IPAC - SECULT, com o produtor baiano Chicco Assis e o Movimento ChA Com Cultura.
Em 2009, a música "Prainha" entrou para a trilha de Malhação 2009, sendo tema do Ceará. [editar] Discografia [editar] Álbuns
* 2006 - Kavita 1 * 2009 - Peixes, Pássaros E Pessoas
The story of Stacey Kent's rise to international fame reads like a Hollywood script.
An American language student visits Europe to study French, Italian and German for a Masters degree in comparative literature. Her life takes an unexpected twist that sees Stacey Kent become one of the world's foremost jazz singers.
Stacey, a recent addition to the Blue Note roster of recording artists, now boasts seven best-selling albums including Breakfast on the Morning Tram (2007) and The Boy Next Door (2003) both of which achieved Gold status, a string of awards, including the 2001 British Jazz Award and 2002 BBC Jazz Award for 'Best Vocalist,' the 2004 Backstage Bistro Award for best live performance and the 2006 "Album of the Year" for Jim Tomlinson's album, 'The Lyric' on which she was the featured vocalist, as well as a fan base that enables her to sell out concert halls around the world.
Her new Blue Note release, 'Breakfast On The Morning Tram' (Blue Note 2007) features four original songs, including the title track, written especially for Stacey by Jim Tomlinson and acclaimed novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro, as well as a selection of French chansons and choice standards. Since its release in September 2007, it has remained at the top of the French jazz chart as well as holding its own in the top 20 of the general album charts. Its release around the world is sure to mirror this success.
The twist of fate that took her life in this new direction was a chance meeting in Oxford with saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson. Like Stacey, Jim was embarked on an academic path, but their meeting sparked in each other the desire to pursue their love of music together. After a year's study at the Guildhall School of Music, Stacey set about honing her skills on the London scene in the company of, now husband, Jim Tomlinson.
A demo tape, sent simultaneously to Polygram, Candid Records and broadcaster, Humphrey Lyttelton, secured her a role in Ian McKellen's film version of Richard III, a recording contract and national airplay and endorsement from Britain's most respected jazz broadcaster.
Since the release of Stacey's first album, Close Your Eyes (1997), she has achieved, without compromise, both critical and popular success, with her fresh and heart-felt interpretations of the finest love songs of the twentieth century. But it was a feature on CBS Sunday Morning in 1999 that gave Stacey national exposure in the USA and brought her to wider recognition. Since then, her career has become truly international and she has performed at major festivals and concert halls from Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Concert Hall to Carnegie Hall to Paris' famed Olympia.
Stacey's admirers are not limited to the loyal fans that buy her albums and pack out her concerts. Best-selling crime writer, John Harvey, has Stacey sing, if only fictionally, in his latest novel, Still Water. A track from her third album, Let Yourself Go, was selected by novelist, Kazuo Ishiguro, on his appearance on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio. It was this event that led Kent, Ishiguro and Tomlinson towards the song-writing collaboration that features this new album.
Clint Eastwood invited Stacey to sing at his 70th birthday party, Michael Parkinson invited Stacey to sing on his television show, as did Sir David Frost, who asked her to join him one Sunday morning, to sing a song and review the morning papers with him on "Breakast with Frost" and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler , in a recent interview, listed Stacey, alongside Willie Nelson, as being among his favourite singers.
Most tellingly perhaps, Stacey is appreciated by the writers of the songs she sings.
Three-time Oscar-winning songwriter, Jay Livingston, wrote of her, "Stacey Kent is a revelation. There is nobody singing today who can compare with her. She has the style of the greats, like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald. And she sings the words like Nat Cole - clean, clear and almost conversational with perfect phrasing. And that's as good as it gets."
If there is one theme that runs through Stacey's music, it is that of romance. Stacey is herself an avowed romantic, and the songs she sings are timeless stories that touch young and old alike, fulfilling a desire for sophisticated love songs that is not catered to by today's pop music industry. She receives fan mail from people of all ages and nationalities and, in an age where music is more likely to divide than unite the generations, it is quite common for three generations of the same family to attend her concerts.
This romanticism is best demonstrated on the award winning recording with Jim Tomlinson, 'The Lyric ... featuring Stacey Kent' (Token 0501). It is the most complete collaboration between Stacey and husband, Jim. On this album, Jim’s saxophone and Stacey’s voice achieve a level of empathy only hinted at on earlier recordings. As the New York Times’, Stephen Holden put it, “Sometimes the chemistry between musicians and the chemistry of love get all tangled up in wonderful ways. When watching the jazz singer Stacey Kent make music with her husband, the tenor saxophonist Jim Tomlinson, it is easy to imagine yourself eavesdropping on intimate pillow talk by besotted partners in a luxury suite atop some faraway pop-jazz Olympus.”
Her new latest album, Breakfast On The Morning Tram, hints at a more confessional side to Stacey's artistic persona. This is a more complete, personal and mature expression of feeling than Kent has delivered on any of her previous recordings.
It is not easy to account for Stacey's success and she herself remains characteristically coy. What is sure is that Stacey has a voice that grabs you. It demands to be listened to and yet never draws attention to itself. As her new collaborator, Ishiguro put it in his liner notes to her 2002 album, In Love Again, "In song after song, we find a route to the emotional heart of the music without first having to admire her technique." Stacey's natural and unaffected delivery allows the craft of the songwriters, whose work she performs, to shine through. She has an appeal that transcends category.
Mimi Jones, multi talented bassist, vocalist and composer, brings her beacon of musical light to the world while embracing a positive future with her inspiring messages. Mimi’s elegant sound is an eclectic mix of genres based on a strong jazz foundation that leaves room for funky bass grooves, world beat rhythms, gentle textures and the soulful cries of the Wurlizter. “My music taps in directly to the senses using elements of jazz, folk, rock, blues and different sounds from around the world which have all had such a profound effect on me.”
Miriam Sullivan (aka Mimi Jones) was born in New York City and raised in the Bronx by parents that descended from Barbados and St.Croix, which explains why Mimi has so many musical influences that flow easily through her compositional style. “As a child my parents always played music around the house,” remarks Mimi, “besides their traditional roots they had tons of records from Gene Ammons, Miles Davis, James Brown, Gloria Lynn, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra, The Doors, Beatles, BeeGees, Barbara Streisand, and Peter Paul and Mary. Every Sunday we had a ritual of cleaning while the music blasted through the house.” Mimi started buying her own records and showed such enthusiasm to play the guitar that her father enrolled her in the Harlem School of the Arts. There she learned the classical guitar and eventually the instrument of her choice, the electric guitar. By the age of twelve she was studying guitar with her first teacher, Jim Bartow, taking classes in dance, chorus, drums, music theory, piano and composition which all helped her secure a spot at Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music and Performing Arts. Once there she realized that the school didn’t have a guitar program so she was quickly switched to cello and placed into the orchestra. However, during cello practice time she could be found in the mirror spinning the bass and playing the “Barney Miller” theme. “I was spotted doing this one afternoon by the band director, Justin Diccioccio, and he asked if I played the bass. I said no and he responded saying “well you do now because we need a bassist for the jazz band.” This was an exciting experience because for the first time I found my own musical voice.” Mimi began her relationship with the bass by receiving classical lessons from Linda McKnight and attending the Jazz Mobile Workshop to study with world-class bassist Lisle Atkinson who became her first mentor and even supplied Mimi with her first bass, a Juzak. “I’ve often said that the bass chose me,” said Mimi “and there were so many early experiences that confirmed that feeling.”
Mimi’s determination and talent helped her to receive a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music Conservatory where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music. While at the Manhattan School she continued off campus to study, attend workshops or mentor with saxophonist Charles Davis, Barry Harris, Ron Carter, Milt Hinton, Dr. Billy Taylor, Yusef Latif, Max Roach, and Latin bass techniques with Guillermo Edgehill. “I even missed my own graduation at the Manhattan School because I got my first music tour days before the graduation and had to fly to Japan. And you know, I’ve been doing music ever since.”
Since then “side man” Miriam Sullivan (aka Mimi Jones) has gone on to share the stage with such talents as the great Lionel Hampton, Roy Hargrove, Rachel Z, Sean Jones, Kenny Barron, Jesse Davis, Ingrid Jenson, Kevin Mahogany, Denis Charles, Joshua Redman and Onaje Allan Gumbs just to name a few.
She has even toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. In 2003, Miriam Sullivan co founded the group ”Jazz Sabroson” with drummer Antonio De Vivo and was commissioned by the Kennedy Center and Department of State to participate in the international program of cultural exchange performing in Brazil, Uruguay, Ecuador, Barbados, Jamaica, Nevis and the Dominican Republic. The group was elected in 2006 by the Department of State and Jazz at Lincoln Center to participate in the Rhythm Abroad Program, this time traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria. Later on Miriam returned to Mali with guitarist Steve Bloom, where the two diligently worked with Malian students of all ages, exploring the possibilities of musical expansion, and gladly partaking in the cultural exchange. Miriam explains that going into the motherland of Africa is always a heart-felt experience and continues to change her outlook on life. She constantly looks for new opportunities in which to aid her brothers and sisters abroad as well as at home with her own organization “The Girls Group” located in the South Bronx.
In September 2009 Mimi Jones emerged and her debut recording, “A New Day” was born. The title of the CD speaks of embracing a changing world with a positive point of view while maintaining the courage to move forward just as the new persona and alter ego, Mimi Jones, was transformed from “side man” Miriam Sullivan in order to fully express her individual messages of change and personal evolution. “A New Day,” is bursting with original compositions seamlessly melting from one song to another and caressed by the warmth of Mimi’s sultry voice. The music is a statement of grooves, musical textures, and compositional variations all flawlessly executed by Mimi Jones (acoustic bass, electric bass, vocals, composer, arranger, and assistant producer), Marvin Sewell (acoustic and electric guitars), Miki Hayama (piano, key board and Wurlitzer), Marcus Gilmore (drums), Lucianna Padmore (drums on tracks 1 and 11) and Ambrose Akinmisure (trumpet). The title of the CD speaks of embracing a changing world with a positive point of view while maintaining the courage to move from our old habits. Songs like “Fast Lane,” “Spiral,” “Watch Your Step” and “Mighty Time” send those messages by allowing the music to take shape without fear of definition and genre restriction. The concept is to cross borders and to reach out to a broader perception of time, space and rhythm. Mimi’s philosophy is profound, yet simple, “It’s important to me that this music is for everyone. I believe that I have a calling to heal and make people feel good so I want to pass on what comes to me musically. Hopefully this music will make our world a little bit better.”
A recurring face since 2000 at the Kennedy Center’s annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival as Miriam Sullivan (playing in bands led by pianist Rachel Z and Joanne Brackeen), now Mimi Jones brings her project to the stage on May 14, 2009 premièring her debut release, “A New Day.” Mimi Jones has already appeared at the Kitano Hotel, Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, the Puffin Foundation, and Sista’s Place. In the future Mimi Jones plans to incorporate multimedia performances and collaborations with other artists. She wants to find more diverse ways to reach out to the public by making her music accessible while maintaining the integrity of the music that has propelled her on her journey.
Although Mimi plays acoustic bass, baby bass, electric bass, and numerous styles of music (including jazz, funk, hip hop, Cuban, free, folk, and pop) she thrives on remaining open to learning unfamiliar sounds. "I hope that my music sends a message of unconditional love and encouragement in order to let people know that we all experience the same things but in different ways. If we find the joy within eventually it will be all around us." For more about Mimi Jones: www.MimiJonesMusic.com
