Carmen Souza - The Silver Messengers

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:35
Size: 105,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. Soul Searching
(3:48)  2. The Jody Grind
(4:50)  3. Señor Blues
(3:17)  4. Nutville
(3:30)  5. Lady Musika
(4:06)  6. St Vitus Dance
(3:43)  7. Pretty Eyes
(3:36)  8. Kathy
(6:09)  9. Song for my Father
(4:58) 10. Cape Verdean Blues
(3:50) 11. Silver Blues

Carmen Souza is back with her 9th CD. Her latest is totally dedicated to the music of Horace Silver, calling it -The Silver Messengers. Anyone following the last decade of Souza's career would have predicted this release sooner or later. Silver has been credited more then once as a big influence in Souza's career but their connections go beyond the artistic identification. They both share the same Cape Verdean heritage and they both, in different ways, mixed that heritage with elements of Jazz. The Silver Messengers mission in this CD was to honor Silver's pioneering repertoire by bringing it back to its African/Lusophone roots. Only Carmen Souza, with the help of her long time musical partner Theo Pascal, who has accomplish so much with her own pioneering musical signature, could have completed this mission with such wonder and authenticity.
Carmen Souza with her acclaimed position as composer, vocalist and instrumentalist in the World, and in the Cape Verdean musical spectrum, can now voice Silver's work to a whole generation, specially in his Ancestor's home, that did not knew his work before, promoting even further his legacy. Recorded between London and Lisbon, Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal have reworked 6 Silver original songs, adding some new creole lyrics to it, also including previous released versions of ''Song for My Father'' ''Cape Verdean Blues'' and ''Pretty Eyes'', plus 2 all new songs dedicated to Horace Silver. The Silver Messengers are Carmen Souza on vocals and guitar, Theo Pascal on Electric Bass/Dbass, Elias Kacomanolis on drums/Perc and Benjamin Burrell on piano. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Messengers-Carmen-Souza/dp/B07W47GCMW

The Silver Messengers

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Carmen Souza - Kachupada

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:55
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Manha 1 de Dezembro
(2:57)  2. Donna Lee
(4:15)  3. Luta
(5:25)  4. My Favourite Things
(3:41)  5. Ivanira
(3:55)  6. Xinxiroti
(4:09)  7. Terra Sab
(0:49)  8. Origem
(3:17)  9. 6 On Na Tarrafal
(3:48) 10. Vida Facil
(2:36) 11. Tchega
(4:20) 12. Koladjazz
(4:04) 13. Novo Dia

Lisbon-born, to a Cape Verdean family, Carmen Souza is now a London resident, but sings (in the words of David Sylvian) ‘in her native creole dialect with an intimacy, sensuality and vivacity, characterised by a tremendous lightness of touch’. She writes the lyrics, producer/bassist Theo Pas’cal the melodies, of most of the songs (in a genre described by Sylvain as ‘world soul’) on this charming album, but there are a couple of nods to the world of jazz: Charlie Parker’s frenetic bop anthem ‘Donna Lee’, and an arrestingly idiosyncratic visit to a standard, the Sound of Music’s ‘My Favourite Things’. ‘Kachupada’ refers to family and friends getting together to eat Cachupa (Cape Verdean soul food), and there is, appropriately enough, an atmosphere throughout this entirely original-sounding album of informality, joyousness and celebration, the arrangements lean but intense, driven by skilfully calibrated percussion and lithe bass playing, and occasionally tastefully augmented by accordion, flute, guitar, saxophone and flugelhorn. Souza’s voice is striking, strong but flexible, with an attractive rasp and the odd sigh or cry emphasising the songs’ sentiments; overall, this is a highly unusual mix of Cape Verdean rhythms, jazz and soul that should see her audience widen way beyond the WOMAD Festival faithful that currently form its core. http://www.londonjazznews.com/2013/02/cd-review-carmen-souza-kachupada.html

Kachupada

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Carmen Souza - Creology

Styles: Vocal, Piano And Guitar
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:32
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Ligria
(3:03)  2. Senhorinha
(3:07)  3. Upa Neguinho
(3:44)  4. Pretty Eyes
(3:28)  5. Mon di Deus
(3:39)  6. Xinxiroti
(3:17)  7. Tud Tem 1 Razão
(2:50)  8. London Light
(3:44)  9. Kem Ka Tem Cabeca
(4:24) 10. Homem Musica
(4:18) 11. Escuta Moçambique
(3:03) 12. Creology

The world tour of Carmen Souza , associated with the release of her eighth album, Creology, also hit Italy on five dates between April and May . The Portuguese singer of Cape Verdean origins confirms the association with his mentor and producer, the double bass player Theo Pascal, and with the percussionist Elias Kacomanolis. In some songs we add the very young son of Pascal, Zoe.The route is particularly rich in suggestions. Equipped with a very personal pronunciation and a unique interpretative ability, Carmen Souza highlights her chromatic qualities passing from baritonal glissando to falsetto excursions (up to harmonic singing) but she does not remain a prisoner of her prodigious technique. The repertoire (mostly original: his lyrics and music by Pascal) continues to orbit in that boundary land that combines jazz, traditional Brazilian and Caribbean music and African influences but each time it is fresh and engaging. More than in other records, Creology's path unfolds in a sincere and coherent manner, bringing more attention to tradition than to moments of self-celebration or to fusions of pop flavor (the only, vaguely acid jazz is "London Light"). The interpretations of the Souza highlight greater balance but continue to strike for the eccentricity of the diction, the evocativeness of the sounds, the expressive tension and the variety of solutions: his is among the most intense voices in the contemporary scene, beyond genres and labels. Its partners provide it with a colorful, highly effective and appropriate rhythmic fabric. The three non-original songs are "Upa Neguinho," tribute to Brazil by Edu Lobo, "Pretty Eyes" and "Homem Musica" of the Portuguese / Mozambican Orlanda Guilande. Translate by Google ~ Angelo Leonardi https://www.allaboutjazz.com/creology-review-by-angelo-leonardi.php

Personnel: Carmen Souza: voice, piano, guitar; Theo Pascal: bass, percussions, voice; Elias Kacomanolis: drums, percussions, voice; guest: Zoe Pascal: drums, percussions.

Creology

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Carmen Souza & Theo Pascal - Epistola

Size: 105,5 MB
Time: 45:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, World Fusion
Art: Front

01. Cape Verdean Blues (4:58)
02. Afro Monk (4:02)
03. Kutequatekessa Quamundos (4:00)
04. WPFL (5:15)
05. Twenty Choices (3:28)
06. Thursday (3:47)
07. Oui Ou Non (5:08)
08. Mira Me Miguel (3:03)
09. CV Railways (4:50)
10. Stratheden Road (3:12)
11. Moonlight Serenade (3:14)

„Epistola“ is the Greek and Latin word for „letter“. And as every letter does the album “Epistola” transport a message. Carmen Souza’s and Theo Pascal’s message to their fans is: everyone shall receive their message whoever is open to their music and lyrics. The album has a fancy cover showing the artists on a stamped letter. It was recorded at different places in the world - in Portugal, Great Britain and New York.

The fact that Theo Pascal is the producer and composer of 50 % of Carmen Souza’s music, led them to their decision to change the duo’s name from Carmen Souza to „Carmen Souza & Theo Pascal“.

Carmen Souza’s biggest challenge with this album was to present herself to the public as an instrumentalist. She is de facto increasingly noticed as a guitarist. So was she hired to play at the opening of the “Zevener Gitarrenwoche 2014”, a German guitar festival. But still she is noticed as a singer to most of her audience.

Carmen Souza says that music should be understood as continuous process. This process consists of the willingness to take risks and to move beyond his or her own comfort zone. That is the only way to develop. On the album “Epistola“ Carmen Souza shows her abilities at the piano.

Besides eight own songs the album contains two cover songs „Moonlight Serenade“ by Glenn Miller and the „Cape Verdean Blues“ by Horace Silver. The duo chose “Moonlight Serenade”, because the song evokes beautiful childhood associations of big band sounds from old movies, ball rooms and dance. They decided to create a reduced and intimate song version – only vocals, guitar, bass and percussion.

The Carmen Souza project has covered Horace Silver songs in the past. This time they decided on the “Cape Verdean Blues“, because they love the spirit of the song. Carmen Souza therefore wrote lyrics about the Cape Verdean liquor “Grogue”. She also proved her creativity in lyrics writing in the song “Oui ou non”. The song is about a country where an election takes place in a special ceremony. All the participants dress up and are happy. But in the end the people must realize that happiness and beauty is just a fading illusion.

There is also an interesting background behind the song “WPFL”. The title is put together from the initials of four different songs by Theo Pascal who wrote similar arrangements for them. He compares the song with a collage. It reflects the beauty, greatness and purity of nature.

Carmen Souza has Cape Verdean roots and also won several prices on the islands, but she anyhow doesn’t really feel like a part of the Cape Verdean music scene. She rather feels like an outsider, since she was neither born there nor did she ever live on the Cape Verdean islands. Although she doesn’t deny Cape Verdean influences in her music she says that she was mostly coined by Jazz and traditional Portuguese music.

“Epistola“ will be released on August 14th 2015 on Galileo MC. The tour with new musicians on board has already started and Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal elate new and old audience. Featured musicians are the British drummer Shane Forbes, the pianist Matt King from New York, the saxophonist und clarinetist Craig Yaremko and the drummer Zoe Pascal.

Carmen Souza: piano & vocals
Theo Pascal: double bass, e-bass
Shane Forbes: drums
Matt King: organ
Craig Yaremko: saxophones & clarinets
Zoe Pascal: drums (Track: 1, 8)
Producers: Theo Pascal & Carmen Souza
Executive production: Patricia Pascal
Arrangements & music: Theo Pascal
Lyrics: Carmen Souza

Epistola

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