• 01. Northeast 08:08
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 02. Samba pra Juju 05:53
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 03. Me Deixa em Paz/Consolação 08:11
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Monsueto/Baden & Vinícius de Moraes

• 04. Frevo 08:15
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Egberto Gismonti

• 05. Nostalgia 03:49
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 06. Estamos aí 05:55
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Maurício Einhorn & Durval Ferreira

• 07. Mar do Leblon 06:34
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 08. Frevo pra Lua 05:19
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 09. Peregrino Part I 05:45
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 10. Peregrino Part II 06:43
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

• 11. Pingo 03:27
Performed by Fernando Brandão
Music by Fernando Brandão

Back to Top

• Fernando Brandão - flutes
• Weber Iago - piano
• Fernando Huergo - bass
• Steve Langone - drums
• Sergio Brandão - guitar
• Pedro Ito - percussion
• Felipe Salles - saxophones, clarinet
• Doug Olsen - trumpet
• Jeff Galindo - trombone
• Luciana Souza - voice
• Nando Michelin - piano
• Kate Vincent - viola
• Ha-Yang Kim - cello
• Karen K. Pandolfi - bass

Printer-friendly

Samba Pra Juju is the debut album by Brazil native flutist Fernando Brandão, who is one of the founding members of the popular Brasileirinho group. For this outing, he has concentrated his most innovative pieces, which combine his personality and the traditions of his native country. He has described his ideas for each track with enthusiasm and dedication: 'The Northeast' of Brazil is where I traveled the most in my 20s. The capitals, the preserved colonial city of Olinda (with the best carnival ever!), the beaches of Arraial D'Ajuda in Bahia, and all the way around through Maceió, Natal, and Fortaleza. The drier inland towns, away from the shore, the rich and lively music, dances and folklore. Beautiful places and people! 'Samba pra Juju' was written for my lovely and talented daughter Juliana when she was less than a year old, before she started walking. It was inspired by her dancing (by sitting down!) to upbeat sambas. 'Me Deixa em Paz/Consolação' (Leave me alone/Consolation) are two classics of Brazilian repertoire. Luciana Souza's luminous voice is featured in this arrangement written for the bass flute. 'Frevo' is an old favorite tune and one of the most well known compositions by Egberto Gismonti, an inspiring composer and performer. 'Nostalgia' was the last piece composed for this CD. The title refers to how much I miss my city, and playing this style of music! This is dedicated to all choro players from Brazil! 'Estamos aí' roughly translates as "here we are", an expression reminiscent of the Bossa-nova period. I heard this tune first sung by the great Leni Andrade. Played at a faster tempo, this rather short tune was stretched with an introduction and coda. 'Mar do Leblon' (Sea of Leblon) is a bossa that features my brother Sergio on guitar. Set in Rio de Janeiro, Leblon is the neighborhood where we grew up, right by the beach. 'Frevo pra Lua' (Frevo for the moon) is dedicated to my wife Lucia. A more traditional frevo in form and harmonic structure than Frevo, it was arranged exploring counterpoint lines played by the alto and bass flutes. 'Peregrino' (Pilgrim), here divided into two tracks, has and tells many stories. The composition goes back to 1988, a year before I came to the United States and it was finished in 2000, with changes and additional sections. It was inspired by my many travels, some alone, through the Northeast of Brazil. It is a storytelling composition, and like life itself, the piece never goes back to the beginning, always wandering through new paths. 'Pingo' (Water drop) was inspired by a poem I wrote when I was about 12 or 13 years old. In analogies to growing up at that age, the poem describes the trajectory of a rain drop to the ground and back up again to the clouds.

Printer-Friendly pages
Fact Sheet
CD Insert (Inside)
CD Insert (Outside)
(When printing the CD Inserts, configure your Page Setup to print sideways 100%.)

Cover Art JPEG

Brazilian Musician Fernando Brandão signs to Blue Music Group

NEW YORK – Blue Music Group has announced that award-winning Brazilian flutist, composer and author Fernando Brandão has signed to Blue Music Group. His debut album on the label is called Samba Pra Juju, which features fellow... Full Story