Essentially Hermeto

SSC1288 2011-11-08

Track List

Vale da Ribeira - 6:27
Rebuliço - 4:49
Santo Antonio - 7:02
Essa Foi Demais - 7:21
Hermeto - 9:07
Paraíba - 3:41
Frevo Rasgado - 5:30
Viva o Rio de Janeiro - 7:01

Musicians

Erik Charlston - vibes, marimba, vocals
Ted Nash - saxophone, flute, clarinet
Mark Soskin - piano
Jay Anderson - acoustic bass
Rogerio Boccato - drums, percussion
Cafe - percussion

Essentially Hermeto – a compelling celebration of the great Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal – is the debut album from Erik Charlston and JazzBrasil. Hermeto’s music combines powerfully earthy, traditional Brazilian rhythms with highly sophisticated jazz harmonies. Embodying this rich duality, JazzBrasil, led by Erik Charlston on vibraphone and marimba, combines the Brazilian percussion team of Rogério Boccato and the legendary Café with the elite of New York’s jazz scene: Ted Nash on sax, flute and clarinet, Mark Soskin on piano and Jay Anderson on bass. Hermeto’s music is passionate, humorous, grooving and demanding – yet can be achingly beautiful. This group lives to bring out all these characteristics, while creating its own sound world.

Also included are the soaring “Frevo Rasgado” by Egberto Gismonti and “Paraiba,” Luiz Gonzaga’s rolling baião, sung by Erik Charlston, lamenting and celebrating a lost homeland.

This is wonderful music – unusual and accessible – that makes you want to move your body and open your mind. As Hermeto says, “Tudo é Som.” All is Sound.