Talisman
- Sammy Figueroa & Glaucia Nasser
 EPK
- "TALISMAN" Sammy
Figueroa &
Glaucia Nasser
 “Talisman”
featuring Sammy Figueroa and Glaucia
Nasser, is a perfect balance between the
exciting Latin percussion of double Grammy
nominee and renowned musician Sammy Figueroa
(Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, David Bowie,
Mariah Carey and many more) and Brazilian
singer Glaucia Nasser. "Like peanut butter and
chocolate" this combination of Brazilian song and
Latin percussion comes out as a surprising and
tasty combination.
The album, which was produced by famed Latin record
producer Rachel Faro, will be out on September
9th on Savant Records (High Note).
Publicity will be supported by
RockPaperScissors, and Michael Hurzon will be
promoting it to Jazz Radio.
Glaucia’s past concerts promoted by Miami’s
WDNA 88.9FM radio station, enchanted Sammy,
who decided to start a unique and
unprecedented partnership with the singer,
which has resulted in this exciting album.
This work also carries an important symbolism
since it has received the backing of the
legendary producer
and engineer Roy Cicala, shortly before he
passed away. Roy, a master of sound with ten
platinum albums to , and who has worked with
John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Aretha Franklin,
Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen, became
interested in the project. He offered
his studio and his cooperation for the
recording.
Percussionist
Sammy Figueroa is considered one of the
world’s great musicians. In
a career spanning over thirty years he has
played with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, the
Brecker Brothers, Mariah Carey,
David Bowie, John McLaughlin, Arturo Sandoval,
Paquito D’Rivera, Chaka Khan, Blues Traveler,
Ashford and Simpson, Natalie Merchant and countless others. He has
also co-produced several albums, most notably the
Cuban a cappella group Vocal Sampling.
 His other group, Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion, is one of the most
exciting in jazz today. Known for their
exciting performances, enhanced by Sammy’s
ebullient humor , the band has recorded three
albums, with two of them nominated for the
Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.
Glaucia has garnered critical praise from
notable names of Brazilian music such as
Nelson Motta, Roberto Menescal, and Ivan
Lins. Glaucia’s four previous albums
have been extremely well received by the media
and fans alike. Her extensive concerts
and world tours have built a fantastic
following.
EPK
- "TALISMAN" Sammy
Figueroa &
Glaucia Nasser
 Quando
Eu Canto
E
Quando Quero
Encontro
Publicist: Rock
Paper Scissors
Artist
Websites
www.sammyfigueroa.com
http://en.glaucianasser.com.br/
Liner Notes
Talisman means good luck charm,
amulet, a symbol with magical
powers. We chose Nicolas Roerich's
Banner of Peace symbol as our talisman because,
among other things, it symbolizes the three of
us, Sammy, Glaucia and Rachel, who had the good
luck to come together to make magic in the
recording studio.
This album has a simple concept: a balance of
Latin percussion (Sammy) and Brazilian song
(Glaucia). Sammy is an incredibly
inventive and skilled musician. Many years
of playing all genres from bebop to Latin to
rock prepared him for the Brazilian flow and
feel. As the arrangements unfolded
spontaneously, his introduction of percussion
elements such as Cuban 6/8 bata, Puero Rican
bomba and plena and Uruguayan candombe were
easily picked up by the Brazilian musicians in
joyful musical interplay.
Glaucia Nasser, who sometimes refers to herself
as a ‘farm girl’, is from Minas Gerais, Brazil’s
rich agricultural heartland. Her style of
singing is straight out the Minas tradition
developed by Clara Nunes, her primary
inspiration, and fulfilled by Milton
Nascimiento. In this recording her pure
vocal approach provides a fitting contrast to
the complex and energetic rhythms of Sammy and
the band.
We are honored to have the beautiful
composer/pianist Bianca Gismonti and Chico
Pinheiro, one of today’s most exciting young
guitar players. Less well-known but
equally extraordinary bassist Fernando Rosa,
virtuoso pandeiro player Bernardo Aguiar,
guitarist Michi Ruschitska and Brazilian
percussionist Chrystian Galante each brought
something special to this musical gathering.
We recorded the basics at NaCena Studios , a
large wooden-walled room just like the old New
York studios from ‘back in the day’.
But the biggest surprise was when we found that
an old friend of Sammy’s, Roy Cicala, the
engineer on recordings such as John Lennon’s
‘Imagine’ and Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’
was living in Sao Paolo and had built a
studio. After many phone conversations,
where Roy insisted that we record the vocals at
his place, Sammy realized that Roy was very ill,
the big C. In January 2014 we bought our
air tickets to Sao Paolo with plans to record
the vocals with Roy. About twelve hours
later we got the word: Roy was gone.
With full hearts, we returned to Sao Paolo where
recorded the vocals in his studio with his
disciple, Eduardo Marson. The sessions
were profound: recording through the same
Neve console on which he’d mixed ‘Imagine’ and
so many other recordings, it felt as if Roy was
just about to walk in the room, as if his spirit
was in the wires. The resulting sound is
unparalleled.
Everyone involved with this recording has felt
it was special. We all share the same
sense that music is what lifts us up, softens
the hardened heart and brings about peace and
unity. We hope that this good luck charm,
this musical talisman will create the same magic
for you as it has for those who created it.
Notes by Rachel Faro
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