Nanny Assis is a self-made man who started his career as a drummer and percussionist and turned into a brilliant multiform musician. Academically he developed his music skills at the federal School of Arts and Music in Bahia, Brazil. His evolution as an artist has revealed him to be an awesome singer and composer, heavily influenced by Chet Baker and Joao Gilberto’s mellow voices school. Nanny has become known all over the world for his multi-faceted talents. During the past years, he has become one of the top percussionists in the Brazilian music industry, he is sought after by world-class musicians for both studio recordings and live performances.
Nanny has an outstanding artistic background and has received critical recognition from the top percussionists and from the best world music personalities. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Phillip Glass, Eurmir Deodato, Vinicius Cantauria, Arto Lindsey, Leo Gandelman, Helio Alves, Melvin Gibbs, Paulo Braga, Jay Leonhart, Manhattan Swing Orchestra, Cyro Baptista, Romero Lubambo, Leni Stern, John Patitucci, Oriente Lopez among others.
A new Brazilian multi instrumentalist that has soaked up all the important Brazilian heritage music and mixmastered it into something new and special that feels like a link to the past. With a wafting voice like Jobim and a world beat vibe that pulled from different periods, Assis comes in with that unexpected adult music treat that goes down easy. With some stellar help rounding out the sound, Assis is someone you should get to know.27109 (Blue Toucan)
Chris Spector
Midwest Record Recap
www.midwestrecord.com
Review:
Heralded by many in the music industry for his drumming/percussion session work, Brazilian artiste Nanny Assis shines as a lead vocalist throughout this wondrously produced and not over-baked studio session. Featuring a large cast, alternating duties on selected tracks, Assis’ whispery and sentimentalized manner of spinning a tune, intimates a breath of fresh air. Amid soft horns and buoyant percussion grooves, Assis also layers background vocals here. With somber violins accenting many of these richly melodic works, featuring breezy flutes and top-notch support by Americans; cellist Erik Friedlander, bassist John Patittucci, and trumpeter Michael Leonahart.
Assis sings in Portuguese on the classic Brazilian pop hit, “Mas Que Nada.” And with the piece titled “Brasileininho, Patittucci imparts one of his patented, upper register bass solos to round-out a rapidly paced samba groove pumped up with percussion rhythms, native to So. America.
These arrangements sparkle, and are not overly enamored with syrupy strings, but Assis’ sincerity and warmly pronounced vocals are tinged with mood-evoking notions. These attributes are evident during “Chovendo na Roseira,” where Assis sings atop a romanticized acoustic guitar motif, segueing into ethereal and drifting sensibilities. No, this isn’t one of those ho hum Brazilian, jazz-tinged outings. Here, Mr. Assis looms as a prophet of good cheer and eternal hope throughout this stylistic date that warrants repeated listens.
Reviewed by: Glenn Astarita
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CD Review: http://www.OsPlaceJazz.com
O's Notes: Nanny is a student of music, a Brazilian who started as a percussionist, then studied at the School of Arts and Music in Bahia to expand his horizons. Today Assis is one of Brazil's best contemporary musicians. On Double Rainbow, he sings, plays guitar, drums, percussion and produces the album. Among his supporting musicians are John Patitucci (b), Romero Lubambo (g) and Erik Friedlander (cello). Together they play sixteen refreshing selections, with a couple of originals as well. Sit back relax and enjoy the sound of Brazil 2007.
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D. Oscar Groomes
O's Place Jazz Newsletter
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