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San
Francisco Chronicle Feature, Sunday August 21, 2005
Brazilian
Sounds from the Bay Area
Sandy Cressman: San Francisco vocalist Sandy Cressman
just release
"Brasil-- Sempre no
Coração"("Brazil--Forever in my
Heart"), a cool spectrum
of tunes featuring Marcos
Silva (keys) and Harvey Wainapel (saxes). Known
for her work with Pastiche, the 1990's jazz vocal group,
Cressman pays tribute to
Elis Regina, one of her idols, on what may be her best
album. Look for her
around
town with Homenagem Brasileira.
Jesse
Varela
- Latin
Beat Magazine March 1999
Singer Sandy Cressman presents a soulful tribute to
the contemporary musical heritage of Brazil on her debut
release for A-Records, a subsidiary of Challenge Records
in the Netherlands. A singer's singer who has graced
the work of artists like Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo,
and Rebeca Mauleon, Sandy has carved a name for herself
in the '80s with jazz vocal group Pastiche. "Homenagem
Brasileira" is a cool shower of interpretive works
that showcases the warmly superb and crystalline voice
of this emerging diva. In collaboration with pianist
and keyboardist Marcos Silva (former musical director
for Flora Purim and Airto), the album features reedman
Harvey Wainapel, who splashes a variety of colors from
a variety of saxophones. Bassist David Belove anchors
it with a seasoned tumbao that allows drummer Celso
Alberti to add a rainbow of percussive adornment. Silva
is also extremely impressive, constructing these gorgeous
arrangements and riffing out stellar solos with a virtuosity
that swings. But it's Sandy's party all the way, as
the New York City-born Cressman caresses the Portuguese
lyrics with confidence and a surprising, almost French,
articulation. The uptempo samba "Vale O Escrito"
opens it and threads very nicely this well sequenced
album. The melodicism of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Felicidade"
showcases her superb intonation while the "Ivan
Lins Medley", a passioinate rendition of six Lins
classics, shows its radiance. This record is straight
and to the point with modest production value that allows
for the musical talent to carry it and they do that
with A+ caliber.
-
Jesse
Varela
- Downbeat,
August 1999
"....Here, then, is a nest of true chirps (bop
term for female singer), ladies who aver, it would seem,
that without a song the day wouldn't even begin, let
alone never end.
Sandy Cressman: Homenagem Brasileira (Homage to Brazil)
(A Records 73134; 56:58) ***1/2( three and a half stars)
San Francisco Bay Area-based Cressman speaks Portuguese
and has an innate feel for that land's music. Backed
by Rio-born pianist Marcos Silva, she cranks out an
appealing program that includes Nascimento's "Viola
Violar" and Jobim's "Felicidade".
-
by
Zan Stewart
- San
Francisco Examiner, February 3, 1999:
"...Singing
the all-Brazilian program in Portuguese, Cressman's
voice floated smoothly over Harvey Wainapel's clarinet
and saxes, the keyboards of Marcos Silva, the guitar
of Carlos Oliveira, David Belove's bass and Celso Alberti's
drums.
Cressman
pours out her love, sometimes to excess, for the delightfully
sensuous and melodious Brazilian lyrics in all her renditions.
Her medley of Ivan Lins songs, her deft handling of
Milton Nascimento's difficult "Viola Violar"
and and her interpretations of songs by Antonio Carlos
Jobim, Joćo Donato and Dori Caymmi are nicely turned."
"Sandy
Cressman is a Northern California singer/songwriter
whose heart belongs to Rio. Her vocals on these under-exposed
Brazilian classics (Ivan Lins/Milton Nascimento/Gilberto
Gil/Jobim et al) are confident and expressive. A real
bonus for Keyboard readers is Marcos Silva's captivating
piano playing and arranging; if you've ever wanted to
cop the Brazilian keyboard style, this is the disc to
scrutinize."
- February
5,1999 EXPRESS - At
Yoshi 's, Monday, February 1
Judging
by the vibe at Monday's CD release concert for her Homenagem
Brasileira ("Homage to Brazil"), San Francisco
singer Sandy Cressman loves Brazil so much that she
probably dreams in Portuguese. Dressed more for the
beach than for the bar, in a skimpy and glittering black
mini skirt and matching top with bare midriff, Cressman
stroked her long, curly brunette locks, and simmered
with her energized quintet of Brazilian and BraziI-loving
instrumentalists on two sets of her favorite sambas
and Brazilian pop tunes.
It's
quite a stylistic leap from her old days as one-third
of the upscale jazz harmony trio Pastiche. Married to
Peter Apfelbaum trombonist Jeff Cressman, she took time
off to have two children, and in the process became
publicist to the Apfelbaum crew. She received so many
requests to do PR for other acts that she seriously
considered that option before choosing to return to
singing, this time the Brazilian fare she loves most.
Just
back from her first pilgrimage to Brazil, Cressman sang
her warm, romantic lyrics without strain. The band was
the same as on Homenagem Brasileira, with long-time
accompanist, arranger and keyboardist Marcos silva,
electric bassist David Belove, drummer Celso Alberti,
the ever-amazing saxophonist Harvey Wainapel (a bebopper
who, like Cressman, is now a full-blown Brazil addict),
and (for part of the concert) guitarist and percussionist
Carlinhos Oliveira.
At
times it was just Cressman and a guitar; more often
the whole electric band smoothly followed her as she
harmonized with Silva or scatted along with Wainapel's
marvelous soprano sax and clarinet improvisations. What
Cressman and her musicians brought to the evening was
a reverential tribute to the spirit of Brazil through
its music, a sensual and warm performance that was both
celebration and showcase for Cressman's fine singing.
I
feel much the same as Sandy Cressman does about Brazilian
music, in her own words: "Somehow this music opens
the doors to my deepest emotions, and lights a fire
that makes me feel alive." Homenagem Brasileira
is homage to an era of Brazilian composers and artists
featuring a fine choice of material from classic Jobim,
to contemporary artists such as Ivan Lins, Djavan, Dori
Caymmi and others. Formerly of the vocal trio
Pastiche, Sandy's voice is well suited to this genre.
Sweet, yet with plenty of substance and emotional depth,
often reminded me of Leila Pinheiro. All songs
are performed in Portuguese. Supported by a superb
blend of players featuring Marcos silva, who in addition
to the various instruments he plays here, is the producer
and arranger. His arrangements are rich, interesting,
and contemporary. Steeped in the tropical brew
of his native Brazil, we hear with the lush harmonies,
and diverse rhythms infused with a touch of jazz.
Harvey Wainapel;s tasty harmonic and rhythmic stylings
add a colo9rful flavor to the mix. the end result
is an uplifting and very listenable album that flows
smoothly along like the waves at Ipanema.
- JazzNow,
March 1999, www.jazznow.com
Got a nice call the other day from singer Sandy Cressman,
who was still high from her sold-out record release
party on February 1 at Yoshi's Nitespot in Oakland.
She is just back from Brazil, and her debut recording
is entitled "Homenagem Brasileira" on the
Dutch label A-Records. With pianist and keyboardist
Marcos Silva, it's a gem, with special guest Harvey
Wainapel adding his sax textures to the gorgeous musical
mix of Jazz brasileiro. Bassist David Belove anors it
all with a seasoned tumbao that allows drummer Celso
Alberti to add a rainbow of percussive adornment. I
love "Vale O Escrito", but it's the Ivan Lins
medley that lets Sandy strut her stuff. Sandy was formerly
with the ace vocal Jazz ensemble Pastiche. She is the
wife of talented trombonist Jeff Cressman as well as
a mom. Sandy is one to keep your eyes and ears on as
her star rises. (Jesse Varela)
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