Sunday November 17, 2024

Dani Gurgel and Débora Gurgel’s hypnotic bliss is the result of their long-established musical intimacy. Dani Gurgel’s syncopated and precise scatting vocals are stitched along Débora Gurgel’s left-hand piano grooves. Infused with dynamic energy, their performances are a celebration of Brazilian music, entwined with the artistry of jazz improvisation. Their constant, engaging interaction among themselves and with the audience electrifies the entire experience. They will be joined by the Cressman Family, noted jazz trombonists and vocalists Natalie, Jeff & Sandy. For the past decade, Dani & Debora have released 9 albums with their “Dani & Debora Gurgel Quarteto”, which was nicknamed “DDG4” by their Japanese fans, and their “Dani & Debora Gurgel Big Band”, respectively the “DDG19 Big Band”. They have been awarded the Brazilian Music Professionals Best Jazz Group award and Japan’s Best Brazilian Album award multiple times and toured extensively through Japan, Europe and the Americas. This concert will combine Dani & Débora’s original compositions with Débora’s masterful arrangements of Brazilian and Jazz repertoire from classic and contemporary composers, as well as a collaborative composition by Dani, Débora and Sandy. Débora Gurgel: piano Débora connects her strong roots and improvisation to Brazilian contemporary music and applies it to her untamed piano grooves. She stands out as a composer and arranger, crafting exceptional and innovative original compositions, as well as delivering commissioned pieces that have graced the repertoires of Brazil's leading orchestras. “Debora Gurgel’s piano is highly refined. She thinks like a jazz musician, but won’t hide her Brazilian accent.” -Estado de SP Dani Gurgel: vocals Dani’s "scatted vocal adventures" (Jazzthetik) over her “fantastic syllabary" (Badische Zeitung, Germany) are a mix of the percussive sounds of Brazil with the swaying curves of jazz, leading to “groovy, with fast prosody and mind-blowing improvisation” (Estado de SP). Dani began her musical journey as a 3-year-old and grew up searching for her instrument, under the tutelage of her mother, Débora. After 15 years of playing the bass in rock bands and the saxophone in renowned big bands, Dani finally found her instrument: her voice. Her singing relates to her bass grooves, her saxophone articulations, and Brazilian percussion. Natalie Cressman: trombone, vocals Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman draws inspiration from a vast array of musical currents. Deeply versed in Latin jazz, post-bop, pop, and Brazilian music, she’s released three albums under her own name as well as three acclaimed duo albums with Brazilian-born guitarist Ian Faquini, her primary musical partner for the past decade. Focusing on their original songs, the duo’s recordings include 2019’s Setting Rays of Summer, 2022’s Auburn Whisper, and the soon-to-be-released Guinga, a tribute to the revered Brazilian composer and guitarist. Cressman’s trombone prowess has earned her widespread recognition. She’s spent the last 14 years touring as a horn player and vocalist with Phish's Trey Anastasio, while also performing around NYC with jazz greats Wycliffe Gordon, Nicholas Payton, Anat Cohen, Dave Douglas, and Peter Apfelbaum. In 2016 SFJAZZ commissioned her to develop music for a concert celebrating the legacy of jazz trombonist/arranger Melba Liston. When she’s not performing her own music, Cressman can be found collaborating with some of the most illustrious figures in rock, funk, jazz and beyond, such as Carlos Santana, Phish, Big Gigantic, Escort, Phil Lesh, Oteil Burbridge, The Motet, and Umphrey's McGee. Jeff Cressman: trombone Trombonist Jeff Cressman toured internationally with the Carlos Santana Band from 2000-2016, and recorded multiple CDs with the band, including the blockbuster “Supernatural”. In addition to his work with Santana, Jeff has recorded and toured with such diverse artists as Keith Terry, Don Cherry, the Peter Apfelbaum Sextet, the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, the Charlie Hunter Trio, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, the Machete Ensemble, Ray Obiedo, and Jon Jang and the Pan Asian Arkestra. Sandy Cressman: vocals Sandy Cressman is a San Francisco-based jazz vocalist who began her career recording and performing with the Vocal Jazz group “Pastiche”, before she focused on her interest in Brazilian jazz. Cressman’s passion for Brazilian music led her to form "Homenagem Brasileira" in 1998 with whom she has released three critically acclaimed CDs, “Homenagem Brasileira” and “Brasil-Sempre no Coração”; and in 2017, “Entre Amigos”, which showcased a number of musical friendships with notable contemporary Brazilian musicians such as Jovino Santos Neto, Spok, Antonio Adolfo and Ian Faquini. In 2015 and 2017, Cressman was a featured vocalist on the main stage of Carnaval in Recife, Brasil. Sandy and her husband Jeff also performed and taught as part of an exchange project called “Do Jazz ao Frevo” sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of state in 2017. Sandy has also performed and recorded with diverse artists as Taj Mahal, Jai Uttal, Ray Obiedo, Pete Escovedo and Eddie Money, as well as soundtrack and commercial work.