GA Russell

Claudia Villela Showcases Her Profound Songwriting Gifts on "Cartas ao Vento," To Be Released September 8 by Taina Music Vocalist-Composer's First Recording in Her Native Rio de Janeiro Features Longtime Friends Bassist Jorge Helder, Drummer Marcelo Costa, Arranger Mario Adnet, Special Guests on 10 Original Compositions Upcoming Performances Include Monterey (CA) Jazz Festival, 9/24, & SFJAZZ, San Francisco, 11/9-12   July 20, 2023 Vocalist-pianist-composer Claudia Villela basks in the warmth of her hometown of Rio de Janeiro with Cartas ao Vento, set for a September 8 release on her own Taina Music label. When visiting her family last year, the San Francisco Bay Area artist rounded up some of her collaborators from her youth (drummer Marcelo Costa, bassist Jorge Helder, arranger Mario Adnet) and some of Brazil’s greatest players (guitarists Toninho Horta and Romero Lubambo, multi-reedists Edu Neves and Zé Nogueira, accordionist Vitor Gonçalves) to craft the first album Villela has made on Brazilian soil. The result is a beautiful, highly disciplined collection of Villela’s originals, with a focus not on individuals’ improvisations but on the leader’s songcraft. “This is not a jazz album,” Villela stresses. “I wanted everything to be part of the song, to get away from the solo as a virtuoso statement.” That said, Cartas ao Vento (Portuguese for “letters to the wind”) puts Villela’s own virtuoso writing abilities on vivid display. It’s in the soaring melody and wordless vocal break on “Meninando,” the seamless exchange between sweeping flow and rhythmic dance on “Chamego,” the stirring drama of “Instrumento,” and the surprising shapeshifts of “Agua Santa”—also a tour-de-force for Villela as a performer, taking extraordinary turns as both pianist and a cappella vocalist. But Villela is not the only artist to shine on this album. Three of the pieces were written as settings for the words of great South American poets including Ana Cristina Cesar (“Flores do Mais”), Ramon Palomares (“Paramo”), and Mario Quintana (“Instrumento”). There’s also fine work from the instrumentalists, with the rhythm section of Helder and Costa giving exemplary performances throughout the album and guests such as Lubambo, Neves, and accordionist Vitor Gonçalves adding gorgeous color and deep pathos to Villela’s songs. On the writing side, Adnet also makes splendid contributions with charts for violin, reeds, and even (on “Bolero”) for the obscure but lovely opheicleide (played by Everson Moraes). It’s Villela, however, that brings the magic to Cartas ao Vento. Claudia Villela was born August 27, 1961 in Rio de Janeiro. She grew up surrounded by music in her grandmother’s home, beginning to make music herself when she was only a year old. She started singing in college festivals around Rio at age 15, and before long found work as a studio musician. She also started performing around the city, while developing a book of original songs featuring her lyrics and music. Initially planning to enroll in medical school, Villela decided to combine her two passions and earned a B.A. in music therapy from the Brazilian Conservatory of Music. Relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1980s, Villela quickly immersed herself in the region’s thriving jazz scene, gaining valuable experience with the Down Beat-award winning De Anza College Jazz Singers. She studied with NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan and with John Robert Dunlap of the New York Metropolitan Opera before making her recording debut with 1994’s Grammy-nominated Asa Verde. She has since performed and recorded with such major jazz figures as Michael Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Toninho Horta, and Kenny Werner. She recorded a live performance at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, California, for broadcast on NPR; it was released as Live @ Kuumbwa 2004 in 2013. 2019 saw the appearance of her second live album, Encantada Live (compiled from several of Villela’s illuminating concert performances). Her recordings have included 1998’s Supernova, 2001’s Inverse/Universe, and 2004’s Dreamtales (an improvised duo album with Werner). As only her seventh album in a thirty-year career, Cartas ao Vento stands as a rare but exquisite gem. Villela’s summer/fall performance schedule kicked off with a sold-out show at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz Mon 6/26. It also includes Monterey Jazz Festival, Sun 9/24; and SFJAZZ, San Francisco, Thurs-Sun 11/9-12. Photography: Tina Villela    EPK: Claudia Villela | Cartas ao Vento  Claudia Villela Web Site  

Week 7 picks https://doorfliesopen.com/2023/07/20/cfl-beat-185/ https://rodpedersen.com/week-7-cfl-picks-2023/ https://officepoolswire.com/football/cfl-week-7-predictions/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/20/3downnation-cfl-picks-week-7-2023/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/20/from-the-editors-desk-im-ready-for-week-7/ ***** Week 7 Game Notes https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/19/cfl-ca-game-notes-a-look-at-week-7-3/ ***** Week 7 Checking Down https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/19/checking-down-news-and-notes-from-week-7-2/

I have the 2-CD set The Righteous Brothers Gold. Everything looks good, but the Disc 2 music is labeled Disc 1, and the Disc 1 music is labeled Disc 2.

Jim, my man! Please DM me the address you want me to use to send you the check for the highly-sought-after autographed CD of your new album! And thanks for your efforts!

RIP Tony Bennett! I was very fortunate. He came to Atlanta when he was promoting his Perfectly Frank album (1991?). That is my favorite period of his. His performance that night (and also that of his piano trio) was A+.

It's an ear worm, for sure!

I saw an older couple yesterday riding their e-bikes. Perhaps they owned them. I assumed they were rented. We have many people renting the electric scooters, though not as many as four years ago.

Here is an obit. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/joao-donato-brazilian-pianist-composer-dies/

RIP. He was there at the beginning. Donato was a favorite of mine, perhaps in part due to the fact that his songs were not beaten to death like Jobim's were. Here's Sergio Mendes.

From my experience only, what they had of interest to my peers in the '60s was easily available. Kapp had The Searchers, Jack Jones and Louis Armstrong. Coral had Pete Fountain. Brunswick had Jackie Wilson and later The Young-Holt Trio/Unlimited. Decca had Rick Nelson and The Surfaris. I don't recall any Decca act being hard to find.

Week 6 Plays of the Week https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/17/incredible-comebacks-in-the-week-6-plays-of-the-week/ ***** Power Rankings https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/17/power-rankings-yes-this-one-was-fun/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/17/3downnation-power-rankings-injury-ravaged-riders-plummet-after-loss/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-week-7-power-rankings-argos-retain-top-spot-ottawa-stuns-the-bombers-riders-suffer-double-loss/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/contenders-vs-pretenders-week-7/ ***** Week 7 picks https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/18/prediction-time-cfl-ca-writers-week-7-picks-2/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/18/weekly-predictor-redblacks-on-the-crum-up/ ***** Antonio Pipkin has joined Hamilton. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/18/ticats-sign-qb-antonio-pipkin/ ***** Trevor Harris hurt his knee against the Stampeders, and will be out a long time. He might return before the season's end, but he might not. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/16/riders-announce-harris-to-undergo-surgery-for-knee-injury/ ***** Kenny Lawler's immigration issues are finally resolved, so he will join the Bombers this week. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/17/bombers-announce-kenny-lawlers-return-will-suit-up-for-week-7/

Summer of '42 - free https://artpepper.bandcamp.com/track/july-freebie-summer-of-42

FWIW, I was so exhausted from watching the Winnipeg-Ottawa game (which ended at 7:15 pm), I slept like a rock last night. So for those of you who dare to watch the highlights reel of that one, caution is advised!

Attention NFL and NCAA fans! Now I'm going to do something a little different. There were two games Saturday. I'm not going to make comments or post news articles about them. I will merely post the links to the highlight reels. I will let you take a look at them, and decide for yourself whether watching the CFL games is worth your time. The first game was Winnipeg at Ottawa. Winnipeg has been one of the best teams since 2019. Ottawa is worse than everybody except Edmonton. Their first two quarterbacks are injured, so here they started their rookie third-stringer. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/15/recap-ottawa-31-winnipeg-28/ ***** The second game was Calgary at Saskatchewan. Both teams are middling, and so far this year disappointing. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/15/recap-calgary-33-saskatchewan-31/

Week 6 results Hamilton 37....Edmonton 29 The Ticats were the better team, but the Elks made a game of it at the end. The Elks tied Bill Veeck's 1953 St. Louis Browns' pro sports record by losing their 20th consecutive home game. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/14/recap-hamilton-36-edmonton-29/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/14/edmonton-elks-tie-1953-st-louis-browns-all-time-pro-sports-record-with-20th-consecutive-home-loss/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/14/home-field-disadvantage-eight-thoughts-on-the-elks-20th-consecutive-loss-at-commonwealth-stadium/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/14/the-butler-did-it-10-thoughts-on-hamiltons-37-29-victory-over-the-edmonton-elks/ ***** Toronto 35....Montreal 27 Great game! In his first season as a starter, Kelly is proving to be the real deal. Fajardo appears to be regaining his old form. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/15/recap-toronto-35-montreal-27/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/15/argos-enjoy-banner-day-despite-flurry-of-flags-10-thoughts-on-a-thrilling-victory-in-montreal/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/toronto-argonauts-hold-off-montreal-alouettes-in-thriller-to-remain-undefeated-1.1984378

Wee Small Hours was Tony Bennett's favorite Sinatra album.

I lived in Pittsburgh in 1979. I have one vivid memory of that World Series. One night the weather was brutal. Cold, wet, raining and sleeting! Many empty seats. So anybody who wanted to could have driven down to Three Rivers, and for ten dollars attended a World Series game! By the end of the game, it appeared that many fans had decided to do just that.

I think Dick Hyde did, and maybe Ted Abernathy too.

Power Rankings https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/10/power-rankings-some-rare-calm-water/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/10/3downnation-power-rankings-redblacks-fall-after-injury-to-qb-jeremiah-masoli/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-week-6-power-rankings-stacking-the-leagues-teams-from-best-to-worst/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/contenders-vs-pretenders-week-6/ ***** Week 6 Checking Down https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/12/checking-down-news-and-notes-from-week-6-2/ ***** Week 6 Game Notes https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/12/cfl-ca-game-notes-a-look-at-week-6-3/ ***** Week 6 picks https://doorfliesopen.com/2023/07/13/cfl-beat-184/ https://rodpedersen.com/week-6-cfl-picks-2023/ https://officepoolswire.com/football/cfl-week-6-predictions/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/13/3downnation-cfl-picks-edmonton-elks-look-to-snap-19-game-home-losing-streak/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/11/prediction-time-cfl-ca-writers-week-6-picks-2/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/11/weekly-predictor-all-aboard-with-the-argonauts/ https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/13/from-the-editors-desk-hello-week-6/

Week 5 results Plays of the Week https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/10/special-teams-shines-in-the-plays-of-the-week/ ***** Sask 12....Edmonton 11 The Elks led 11-3 with 1:10 left. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/07/recap-saskatchewan-12-edmonton-11/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/07/rouge-with-embarrassment-eight-thoughts-on-the-elks-single-point-loss-to-the-riders/ ***** Winnipeg 24....Calgary 11 The Stampeders led 11-1 with four minutes left in the second quarter. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/07/recap-winnipeg-24-calgary-11/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/07/greg-mccrae-shows-the-way-as-blue-bombers-best-stampeders-12-other-thoughts/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/08/calgary-gets-manhandled-by-the-bombers-more-thoughts-than-points-on-the-stampeders-third-loss/ ***** Hamilton 21....Ottawa 13 Masoli returned on the first anniversary of his injury. He promptly hurt his Achilles tendon, and is out for the year. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/08/recap-hamilton-21-ottawa-13/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/09/crummy-night-for-the-redblacks-11-other-thoughts-on-falling-to-the-ticats/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/09/first-one-in-the-win-column-10-thoughts-on-hamiltons-21-13-victory-over-the-ottawa-redblacks/ ***** BC 35....Montreal 19 The Als did not look like a contender for first place. The Lions did. https://www.cfl.ca/2023/07/09/recap-bc-35-montreal-19/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/09/montreal-alouettes-lose-second-straight-game-drop-to-500-after-loss-to-b-c-lions/ https://3downnation.com/2023/07/09/montreal-alouettes-lose-second-straight-game-drop-to-500-after-loss-to-b-c-lions/ ***** Standings https://www.cfl.ca/2023standings/

Yes! My favorite track is the one with Zooey Deschanel.

Michael Weiss closes the show! At the New Orleans Jazzfest, that spot was always reserved for the Neville Brothers.