"Matuto" is brazilian slang for "country bumpkin."
Over the last three years Clay Ross has submerged himself in the sounds of Brazilian music as a member of Cyro Baptista's world renowned percussion ensemble "Beat the Donkey." Recently, Clay followed his passion for Brazilian music to the source, spending months playing and studying in the culturally rich Northeastern region of Pernambuco. There, he witnessed the music first hand in the form of Brazilian Carnaval.
"It's a feeling unlike any other," says Ross. "During Carnaval there is music everywhere. Amazing musicians play day and night, progressively bluring the line between audience and performer. Our lives and agendas can create such a hectic pace that it's easy to loose sight of the purpose in the pursuit. During this time in Brazil, I felt a rejuvenation of spirit and realized a new world of musical possibilities.”
Here in the rural Northeast of Brazil, Clay refined the concept for this new group. "The music of Northeastern Brazil has so much in common with the rural music of the American south. It's amazing how easy it is to move from a New Orleans second-line, to a Brazilian Maracatu rhythm; or from a Bluegrass fiddle hoe-down to a Brazilian Baiao rhythm. It was shocking to have discovered a seemingly exotic folk tradition that mirrored, and made me feel so much closer to, my own.”
“I wanted to draw from my own roots in the American south and to realize these ideas through my limit-less, talented peers on the NYC jazz scene,” says Ross. “ These are truly accomplished and open minded musicians who can seamlessly integrate influences from around the world. Together we are creating a pan-american folk sound. A music with stories, memorable melodies, and infectiously danceable rhythms. These rhythms have not been popularized in America. This is not the overplayed sound of ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ bossa nova. I like to call it Brazilian Bluegrass. This music is gritty, organic, twangy, and danceable. People will recognize this sound, but like nothing they've ever heard before."
The albums 11 tracks consist of 7 Ross originals, 4 heavily reworked American folk tunes, and alternates between instrumental and vocal songs. "Recife," introduces a band of virtuosic instrumentalist on a rhythmically charged new fiddle tune. "What a Day" laments the hectic pace of NYC life over a frenetic samba rhythm. "Remember Calabash" conjures the folksy feel of a lazy afternoon. "Banks of the Ohio" combines a brazilian xote rhythm with a classic american murder ballad. "Zydaco Mondo" presents a pan-american stew with jazz inflections. "Church Street Blues" quotes bluegrass guitar legend Tony Rice beside an Afro Brazilian folk rhythm. "Maria's Lullaby" is a brooding ballad propelled by a bed of forceful drumming. "Home Sweet Home" is a simple reading of an american folk classic that marries the brazilian pandiero with the steel string guitar. "John the Revelator" delivers the raw intensity of a blues drenched vocal riding on a choir of exotic brazilian percussion. “Dream of Life" is a universal love song with a touch of surf rock guitar. Finally, there is the peaceful, instrumental release of "Feel, like a Song," complete with chamber winds and spacious psychadellic percussion effects by the maestro, Cyro Baptista.
Produced by Clay Ross, the album features performances from many of the cities finest players. Special guests include master percussionists Cyro Baptista (Paul Simon, Sting), Scott Kettner (Marcatu NY, Nation Beat), and Ze Mauricio (YoYo Ma, Choro Ensemble), drummer Richie Barshay (Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea) and accordionist Rob Curto (Lila Downs, David Krakauer.) The album was mixed by Tony Maimone at Studio G in Brooklyn and mastered by grammy award winning engineer, Scott Hull. With Clay Ross - Guitars, Vocals, and Cavaquinho, Rob Hecht - Fiddle, Edward Perez - Bass, Tim Keiper - Drums, Eduardo Guedes - Percussion, Olivier Manchon - Violins, Viola, and Cello, Merideth Hite - Oboes and English Horns.
1. Recife (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitar
Rob Hecht – Fiddle
Itai Kriss – Flute
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
Scott Kettner – Percussion
Ze Mauricio – Percussion
2. What a Day (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitars, Cavaquinho, Vocals
Tim Keiper – Drums
Ze Mauricio – Percussion
3. Remember Calabash (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitars
Rob Hecht – Fiddle
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
Scott Kettner – Percussion
(last segment “Dear Old Dixie” by Earl Scruggs)
4. Banks of the Ohio (Tradional)
Clay Ross – Guitar and Vocals
Rob Curto - Accordion
Edward Perez – Bass
Richie Barshay – Drums
Scott Kettner – Percussion
5. Zydaco Mondo (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitars
Rob Hecht – Fiddle
Itai Kriss – Flute
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
Scott Kettner – Percussion
Olivier Manchon – Viola
6. Church Street Blues (Norman Blake)
Clay Ross – Guitar and Vocals
Rob Hecht – Fiddle
Edward Perez – Bass
Richie Barshay – Drums
7. Maria’s Lullaby (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitar and Vocals
Olivier Manchon – Violin, Viola, Vio-Cello
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
Scott Kettner – Percussion
Eduardo Guedes - Percussion
8. Home Sweet Home (Traditional)
Clay Ross – Guitars
Scott Kettner – Percussion
9. John the Revelator (Traditional)
Clay Ross – Vocals, Kashakas
Scott Kettner – Percussion
10. Dream of Life (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitars, Cavaquinho, Vocals
Rob Hecht – Fiddle
Itai Kriss – Flute
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
11. Feel, Like a Song (Clay Ross)
Clay Ross – Guitars
Itai Kriss – Flute
Edward Perez – Bass
Tim Keiper – Drums
Meredith Hite – Oboes, English Horn
Cyro Baptista – Voice and Percussion
Engineered by Mitch Rankin and Josh Clark @ Sea Side Lounge.
Additional engineering by Duane Evans @ Williamson Evans and Tony Maimone @ Studio G
Mixed by Tony Mamoine @ Studio G
Additional Mixing by Oliver Straus @ Mission Sound Recording
Mastered by Scott Hull
Cover Art by Grady McFerrin
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