Once you've heard the luminous voice of Paula Santoro and
the enthralling guitar virtuosity of Ian Faquini, their sound will become
permanently etched into your heart. Metal na Madeira (Metal on Wood), their new
collaborative album, takes inspiration from Xylography, a traditional art form
from Northeastern Brazil in which the artist develops an image by engraving
wood with a metal object. Likewise, Faquini and Santoro create their
intoxicating music from the way in which the metallic harmonics of her voice
affect and enrich the woody tones of his guitar.
The image that ultimately emerges from Metal na Madeira is
more than a portrait of two artists creating together. It also conjures the
timeless landscape of the Brazilian Northeast, from which both artists
originally hail. Into that space, Faquini and Santoro invite an all-star cast
of collaborators, including Brazilian saxophone great Spok, leader of Recife's
Spok Frevo Orquestra; Bay Area multi-reedist Harvey Wainapel; trombonist Jeff
Cressman; keyboardist and accordion player Vitor Gonçalves; bassist Scott
Thompson; drummer/percussionist Rafael Barata; and pandeiro player Sergio
Krakowski.
The album consists of nine original compositions by Faquini
and presents a fresh take on traditional Northeastern rhythms such as Maracatu,
Frevo, Baião, Xote, and Toada. Faquini's music keeps one foot firmly planted in
the past while stepping briskly towards the future with modern harmonic and
melodic structures. The songs' lyrics describe the exuberance and poverty of
that region of Brazil -the joy, colors and natural beauty, but also sadness,
drought and longing of a people who are accustomed to living with extremes.
Their stories are movingly and compellingly expressed through Santoro's gift
for storytelling and painting with words.
Ian Faquini was born in Brasília and has lived in Berkeley,
California since he the age of eight. He graduated from the California Jazz
Conservatory and was immediately invited to join the faculty, teaching guitar
and Brazilian music. Influences include Guinga and Marcus Tardelli, with whom
Ian studied for six years.
Paula Santoro was born in Minas Gerais, where she began her
career as part of the local vocal group Nós & Voz and toured the country as
lead singer of the progressive rock band Sagrado Coração da Terra. Her enticing
blend of jazz and Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) has since become
well known through her recordings and frequent TV appearances. She won the
Troféu Faísca Award, the Visa Award and was nominated for the Rival Petrobrás
Music Award, all as best vocalist.
Santoro has performed with a range of luminaries including Edu Lobo,
Yamandú Costa, Mário Adnet, Monica Salmaso, Renato Braz and the Muiza Adnet
releasing the álbum Mario Adnet - a look on Villa-Lobos nominated for Best
Classical Album in the Latin Grammy Awards.
She has earned wide critical acclaim in Brazil and Europe, and released
numerous albums including Mar do meu Mundo on the Borandá label with special
guests including UAKTI, and Paula Santoro, released by Biscoito Fino label,
featuring special guests Chico Buarque, Toninho Horta and Jaques Morelenbaum.
Paula and Ian were introduced in 2007 by the influential
Brazilian composer Guinga in Rio when Paula was collaborating with Guinga on a
recording and tour. Ian had met Guinga at the age of 16, an encounter that
changed his life and music. Hearing and falling in love with Guinga's music led
Ian to devote himself to exploring his own Brazilian roots through music. Paula
and Ian came together musically in 2014 when both were part of the faculty at
California Brazil Camp, a performing arts camp focused on Brazilian music and
dance. Their mutual admiration sparked a desire to work together, resulting in
Metal na Madeira, recorded at the famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA in
September of 2015.
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