Brasuka - A Vida Com Paixão

Styles: Post Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:28
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. Samba Jiji
(3:07) 2. A Vida Com Paixão
(4:40) 3. Road to Hermeto
(5:25) 4. Marakandombe
(5:35) 5. Deusa Do Meu Carnval
(5:10) 6. Reina's Song
(5:50) 7. Praia Felix
(3:52) 8. La Higuera
(5:19) 9. Confundido
(3:39) 10. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

Brasuka first came together as a side project, led by keyboardist and vocalist Rosana Eckert and percussionist Ricardo Bozas , from out of a Sergio Mendes tribute band. You can still hear these roots in this full-length debut. But you can also hear where and how Brasuka's sound branches out into different styles and frameworks and yet retain the warm, inviting and bright sound of their original inspiration.

Eckert's lead vocal on the title track to A Vida Com Paixão ("A Life With Passion") glows with soft yet intense romance, so much like Janis Hansen's in the original Brasil '66 ("The Look of Love" is a great example), a description offered as both comparison and compliment. Piano and keyboard parts often seem to direct the music other instruments play, just like Mendes seemed to conduct Brasil '66 through his own keyboards. Brasuka's frantic raveup through "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" to close this show places the period at the end of all this 1960s afterglow.

"Road to Hermeto" documents the first tune Brasuka composed together. Eckert's voice floats and whispers like clouds of Flora Purim through a bright, jumping melody inspired by groundbreaking Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal, while chattering percussion and rhythmic piano keep everything moving in time. Composed and sung by keyboardist Denny Robinson , "La Higuera" extends another lovely musical invitation written in piano and flute to linger in a groove as sunny and warm as a summer day and culminates in a spirited singalong over thick, pulsating percussion. The title track bounces Portuguese vocals atop Caribbean reggae with clattering drums, and ventures through a pinwheeling electric guitar solo before winding up in another fun singalong.

But the opening "Samba Jiji" is the prototype for this set and the best place from which to start. It immediately showcases Eckert's vocal and Bozas' percussion, both steered by strong piano lines into a luscious musical ride as powerful yet smooth as a luxury vehicle. Its closing verses explode into a joyous vocal chorus shot through with saxophone improvisation, police whistles, and other party sounds. "This song best represents the band. It's based on the Partido Alto rhythm which is a different kind of samba that is modern and funky," Eckert explains. "It's danceable, and like many of our songs, has a big sing-along at the end."

"We're trying to create happy music. We want to tell stories and get people to dance. We want to bring people together."By Chris M. Slawecki https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-vida-com-paixao-outside-in-music

Personnel: Rosana Eckert: keyboards; Tom Burchill: guitar, acoustic; Brian Warthen: bass; Jose Aponte: drums; Drew Zaremba: flute; Jeff Robbins: saxophone, tenor.

Additional Instrumentation: Ricardo Bozas: percussion; Denny Robinson: keyboards, vocals; Daniel Pardo: flute.

A Vida Com Paixão

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Rosana Eckert - Sailing Home

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:14
Size: 111,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Sailing Home
(3:57)  2. Garby the Great
(4:35)  3. Someone Else's Life
(4:52)  4. Waiting
(4:36)  5. Miles of Blue
(4:06)  6. Blue Flower
(4:49)  7. Coriander Stomp
(3:54)  8. Empty Room
(4:55)  9. Lovely Ever After
(5:37) 10. For Good
(3:19) 11. Meant for Me

Rosana Eckert has made a name for herself as a jazz vocals composer and arranger with her previous recordings, At The End Of The Day (GEM Records, 2003) and Small Hotel (GEM Records, 2010). Bright and imaginative, Eckert draws from a lifetime of music beginning with her childhood in El Paso, Texas, where the musical melting pot was richly seasoned with American, Hispanic, and European influences. Educated at the notable music school, the University of North Texas, she went on to become a faculty member in addition to leading her own band, performing as a wedding singer and recording commercial jingles. This wide-openness to anything musical is Eckert's charm. She has a giving and generous musical personality that manifests in her broad format and genre palette. On Sailing Home, Eckert composes or co-composes eleven disparate jazz songs, each with its own character and texture. Eckert's music is as much tactile as tuneful. This tactile musical nature reveals itself in the intersection of a chosen rhythm and the song arrangements. On the title song, Eckert and pianist Peter Eldridge craft a sonic walk on an uneven path.

Over the circuitous figure, guitarist Corey Christiansen lays an infectious muted electric counterfigure. Ben Whittman's prepared steel drums are just gravy. Eckert's singing is bright, positive and inviting, setting a warm tone to the entire project. "Garby The Great" is a slinky, blues-inflected ballad with Eckert singing with authority and awareness, almost as a spontaneous vocalese. Her scat counterpoint to Young Heo's walking bass leads to Christiansen's octaves, and Heo's muscular solo, tartly accented by Christiansen. If a voice can mimic a fingersnap, Eckert's does so.  "Someone Else's Life" shimmers with dubbed vocals, Eckert studying harmony and sound structure in a forward and progressive manner. Eldridge and Christiansen provide a delicate filigree hung on Heo's spare bass playing. Juxtaposed against this shiny surface is the humid and inviting "Waiting," featuring Ginny Mac's whispering accordion weaving with a lazy Reggae beat. The attention grabber is "Coriander Stomp" initiated by a dirty funk line by Christiansen that gives way to drummer Steve Barnes channelling Little Feat's Richie Hayward in a jaunty street march. Christiansen's solo is boss with fuzz and swing. Eckert sings wordlessly, scatting in and out of the musical celebration, which is a good way to describe the entire recording.. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sailing-home-rosana-eckert-oa2-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Rosana Eckert, vocals; Peter Eldridge, piano, organ, keyboards; Corey Christiansen, electric/acoustic guitars; Young Heo, acoustic bass; Steve Barnes, drums; Ben Wittman, percussion (1, 4, 9); Gary Eckert, percussion (5, 7, 10); Daniel Pardo, alto flute (8, 9); Brian Piper, piano (7); Ginny Mac, accordion (4).

Sailing Home

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Rosana Eckert - Small Hotel

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:59
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. In the Still Of The Night
(7:49)  2. Lost In The Skies
(6:15)  3. Sayin' It Straight
(6:01)  4. This Carousel (The Stalker Song)
(5:21)  5. Dreaming
(3:55)  6. So In Love
(7:45)  7. Rapture
(2:45)  8. Lady Lee
(6:12)  9. Moon And Stars
(4:31) 10. It's Sand, Man
(4:12) 11. There's A Small Hotel

Six years have elapsed since Rosana Eckert released her ensemble debut, At the End of the Day. Seems like an eternity if you can't get enough of her unique talent. Finally the second chapter has been issued in the journey of self-discovery by the multi-faceted singer, pianist, French hornist, composer, arranger and currently teacher of vocal jazz at her alma mater, University of North Texas.  What makes her talent unique is the instrumental quality of her own vocal jazz. Simply put, she adds another horn to any combo she sings with. She can improvise with complete confidence: she can hear changes; has unerring pitch; a thin, flexible vibrato; a sure sense of time and phrasing; and an enviable range. Regarding the latter, her low tones are warm and soothing and I wish she'd explore them more often. Check her original, "Moon and Stars," with another special guest, Marvin Stamm. When his flugel-sounding trumpet blends with Eckert's wordless soaring, their timbres tend to coincide, leading to a haunting fadeout.

Talk about haunting, Eckert's wordless vocalizing on Harold Land's gorgeous "Rapture" finds her virtually disappearing into the tenor of Chris McGuire. It sounds like a two-horn sax section. Great mood-setting by bassist John Adams. For a tasteful sense of musical humor, try another original, "Lady Lee," written with her husband, Gary Eckert, and given a nice lift from clarinetist Chris McGuire. Hubby Gary also provides an unusual lift on Cole Porter's "So In Love," furnishing the only backing for Rosana: McFerrin-like vocal and percussive accompaniment. For the title tune, it's Rosanna all alone at her keyboard. How she can sing her own arrangement, which is totally re-harmonized, takes remarkable focus. Another attribute, which Marvin Stamm points out in his liner essay, is her ability to avoid conventional scat. She avoids its harshness by relying mainly on the sounds of b, d, w, and lots of vowels, connecting them with smooth voice. In other words, it's not hard scat, it's soft skitten. ~ Harvey Siders  http://jazztimes.com/articles/25636-small-hotel-rosana-eckert

Personnel: Rosana Eckert (vocals); Aaron Kelley (guitar); Chris McGuire (clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Brian Piper (piano, keyboards); Mike Drake (drums); Gary Eckert (percussion).

Small Hotel

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Rosana Eckert & Terry Hankins - Two For The Road

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:07
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. On A Clear Day
(3:36)  2. My Favorite Things
(2:39)  3. I Wanna Be Like You
(4:46)  4. Love For Sale
(4:56)  5. Both Sides Now
(2:45)  6. Don't Fence Me In
(3:50)  7. It's All Right With Me
(4:13)  8. Once I Loved
(3:11)  9. Don't Ask Me Why
(4:00) 10. Two For The Road

With her smooth voice and eclectic style, Rosana Eckert's music has received critical acclaim and captivated listeners worldwide. A dynamic jazz singer, composer, and arranger, Rosana has performed and/or recorded with such jazz greats as pianist George Duke, bassist Christian McBride, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and the Grammy-winning vocal quartet New York Voices. Released in 2007, this fun and friendly collection of songs with guitarist Terry Hankins is her third recording project. Also available: Rosana's first recording effort, Rosana Eckert, also features her in a duo setting with the wonderful piano work of long-time musical partner Brian Piper. Her second project, At the End of the Day, was released in 2001 and serves as the debut for Rosana with her full band. That recording was praised as "a superior debut" (Cadence Magazine) and "an occasion for celebration" (All About Jazz) and was a finalist for Best Jazz Album in the 2006 Independent Music Awards. Rosana is on the faculty of the world renowned University of North Texas jazz department, and she is in high demand as a festival performer, clinician, and adjudicator. Her original songs and arrangements have been performed by singers worldwide and are published by Hal Leonard Corp. and MichMusic. Rosana also works regularly as a studio singer in Dallas. She has sung back-up vocals for various recording artists including contemporary Christian singers Matthew Ward and Annie Herring, and she can be heard on hundreds of jingles and radio IDs around the world. rosanaeckert   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rosana2

Two For The Road

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Rosana Eckert - At The End Of The Day

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: GEM Records
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:59
Size: 105,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. I Know I've Seen This Thing Before
(3:46)  2. Something's Gotta Give
(4:13)  3. Ela é Carioca
(3:45)  4. Mr. Hooper's Find It In A Minute Book
(4:22)  5. At The End Of The Day
(4:40)  6. You're Makin' Me Crazy
(4:58)  7. For Elizabeth
(5:12)  8. Lament
(3:45)  9. Rock Me To Sleep
(5:11) 10. One Mint Julep
(3:05) 11. You Are There

There has been a trend for the past number of years of jazz vocalists opting for original compositions primarily and simply peppering their recordings and performances with stray standards. El Paso native Rosana Eckert conforms to this trend with a collection of original and standard compositions that are fresh and sophisticated. Backed by a crack team of Dallas musicians, including percussionist/husband Gary Eckert, Ms. Eckert effortlessly swings with her well-shaped alto and intelligent ear for lyrics.

The opener, "I Know I’ve Seen This Thing Before," penned by the singer and her hus-band, flows with that jazz perfection one always wishes for in a vocal recording. Ms. Eckert duets first with bassist John Adams, progressively adding the remaining band members, building a quiet tour-de-force. Johnny Mercer’s "Something’s Gotta Give" allows pianist Brian Piper to display his wares in a jaunty fashion. "Ela E Carioca" is a Bossa sway and "Mr. Hooper’s Find It In A Minute Book" a swing-era phonetic and poetic marvel, complete with a growling muted trumpet. Ms. Eckert’s ballads are uni-formly fine. "At the End of the Day" is almost necessarily a lullaby quietly accented with Rodney Booth’s exquisite brass. 

She accomplishes the same with "Lament," a plaintive and pure melody piece gently driven by the core rhythm section. Two wonder-ful inclusions are Benny Carter’s "Rock Me To Sleep," which struts the recording stage with a swagger and wink, and "One Mint Julep" which is a fast, rocking piece with no peers on this recording.  The piece highlights Aaron Kelley’s electric guitar. Ms. Eckert’s debut recording is an occasion for celebration. It is a well conceived and well performed pleaure.~ C. Michael Bailey http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=11836#.Uhpz0T9vA1I

At The End Of The Day

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