Album Notes

Giana Viscardi charmingly represents the new generation of great singers from Brazil. Her hometown is São Paulo, the giant melting pot of Brazil´s contemporary cultural scene. Music critics put her style side by side with Maria Rita, Céu, Mariana Aydar and Roberta Sá.

Music is part of Giana´s life since she was a child.
Blessed with a beautiful and harmonious voice that has extensive range, Giana studied from a very young age at CLAM, the music school directed by the famous Zimbo Trio - one of the icons of the Bossa Nova movement – and subsequently continued to develop her musical gifts with Samba Jazz genius Filó Machado and at Leyve Miranda´s school “Groove“, where she made an in-depth-study of the works of Elis Regina and Ella Fitzgerald.
During this period in São Paulo Giana sang extensively with different groups and shared stage with artists like Tom Zé and Ná Ozzetti.

In 1999 she moved to the USA to attend the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. There she quickly won recognition of the local music scene.
As part of the band of Uruguayan pianist Nando Michelin she had the chance to record two CDs and perform with distinguished jazz musicians such as Jerry Bergonzi and George Garzone.

While at college Giana met guitarrist Michael Ruzitschka who since then has been her musical partner and director. Born in Austria, Ruzitschka graduated from Berklee and later moved to São Paulo, where he is living since 2003. After studying intensively the Brazilian guitar style he is nowadays one of the few European musicians who are part of the contemporary Brazilian scene.

A result of the partnership between Giana and Michael was the CD “Tinge“, recorded in Boston between 2001 and 2002. The album received positive critics and attracted attention of the Brazilian stars Arnaldo Antunes (Tribalistas) and Chico César.

After moving back to São Paulo in 2003 Giana established her career in Brazil. She won the award Rumos Itaú Cultural, participated in the TV Festival of the TV Cultura, recorded the TV shows “Bem Brasil” and “Mosaicos” besides doing numerous concerts in São Paulo.

She presented her music internationally on seven tours through Europe, including a concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival as well as on performances in Mexico, Japan and Thailand.
In 2005 Giana recorded her second solo album “4321“ , which has been released in Brazil on WA records, in Japan by the label Rambling Records, and in 2008 in Italy by RAI UNO.

In the year of 2007 Giana was invited to particpate in a show which paid tribute to the Bossa Nova movement, singing together with legendary artists João Donato, Joyce, Roberto Menescal and Rosa Passos.

Her work is getting substantial recognition from the public and the media since the singer Mariana Aydar recorded Giana's original “Na Gangorra” on her debut album on Universal Records. Songs of Giana and her partner Michael Ruzitschka have also been recorded by Ana Paula Lopes, Gafieira São Paulo, Vange Millet and the German singer Sophie Wegener.
Tours in 2007 took Giana to Italy, Germany, Spain, Britain and Mexico (over 2000 listeners at the Feria de Aguascalientes!).
The respected music critic and producer Nelson Motta is playing songs of Giana´s album “4321” in his radio program Sintonia Fina which is broadcasted all over Brazil.


REVIEWS


“The partnership of Giana Viscardi from São Paulo and the Austrian Michael Ruzitschka is one of the brightest revelations among the new composers who are creating a contemporary MPB.“
NELSON MOTTA, RADIO SINTONIA FINA, Rio de Janeiro, 2007

“Giana Viscardi puts more spice into the recipe of samba.“
“On the CD 4321, Giana sings with an irresistible groove and jazzy improvisations, having a youthful quality that provokes smiles of joy. She dominates the language of Samba like few of her generation are able to do.“
LAURO LISBOA, Estado de São Paulo, 2006

“Giana Viscardi, one of the brightest young talents in Brazilian Music.“
NELI PEREIRA, Urban Jungle Magazine, London, 2007

“A promising revelation…
with a delicious and most accurate voice, the beautiful Giana Viscardi came back to Brazil ready to happen.”
CARLOS CALADO, Folha de São Paulo, 2003

“4321 is a landmark in the history of MPB.“
MEGUMI E ZEZI, MPB Magazine, Japan, 2006

“The album Tinge is marvelous. I was very happy to listen to it. It has happiness, freshness and youth.”
CHICO CÉSAR

“Giana Viscardi is a Brazilian Hurricane”
GISELHER SMEKAL - Radio ORF/ Ö1, Austria, 2005

“Giana is amazingly expressive, a generous voice and a mesmerizing performer with a gorgeous voice and charming communication...”
“Giana´s stage presence is something to behold.“
GWENN, The Middlesex Beat, USA 2001


ABOUT THE CDs


“4321” is the latest album of Giana, released in November 2005. After a two months tour in Europe she and her band returned to Brazil and went straight into the studio to record the basic tracks live, a fact that gives the CD a great vibe and vividness. Most of the songs are composed by Giana and long-time partner Michael Ruzitschka (who also produced the CD), with exception of the Baião standard “Vem Morena” by Luiz Gonzaga and “Deslumbrada Lua”, composed together with MPB hero Chico César.

The sound of “4 3 2 1” reflects a rich stylistic background:
Bossa Nova, João Donato´s Sambalanço, the Afro-Brazilian rhythms of Bahia, Djavan´s funky Sambas as well as Portuguese Fado.

Additionally, special guests participate in the CD: Chico César, Armando Marçal (Pat Metheny Group, Gilberto Gil, Djavan), Fábio Torres and Paulo Paulelli (both from Rosa Passos´ band).

Through her songs Giana is able to transmit the essence of Brazilian music:
joy of life, vibrant energy, romanticism and sensuality.



“Tinge“ (USA 2001) is Giana´s first solo CD and contains nine original songs plus a new interpretation of “Rosa Morena“, a Brazilian classic by Dorival Caymmi. The music is fresh and percussive and features various styles from all over Brazil: Baião, Rasta Pé, Xote as well as Samba and Funk, thus creating a colorful patchwork of hip rhythms, sophisticated harmonies and Giana´s expressive voice.


“I really dig ‘Tinge’. The compositions, the arrangements, the sound, the way Giana sings, everything is beautiful and nice to be listened to many times. It sounds Brazilian and universal at the same time. “
ARNALDO ANTUNES


“I got very impressed when listening to the last album of Giana Viscardi ‘Tinge’. Everything is great. The voice, the singing, the compositions, the arrangements, the musicians and everything else. Giana is a super talent, her singing, her percussion, compositions and arrangements in total harmony. Two thumbs up!!!"
ROMERO LUBAMBO