Dafnis Prieto To Release New Album Featuring Luciana Souza

In this special collaboration poised to be a top release of 2022, GRAMMY-winning Cuban-born drummer, composer, bandleader, and 2011 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dafnis Prieto unites with GRAMMY-winning Brazilian-born singer Luciana Souza for Cantar, an album featuring songs with music and lyrics by Prieto.

Since arriving in the U.S. from Cuba in 1999, Prieto has honed his forward-looking musical vision across a range of styles and formats. In the process, he has become equally known for his composing and arranging brilliance and his electrifying drumming, comfortable exploring a wide spectrum of musical vocabular­ies.

“Dafnis Prieto … shatters the expectations of straight ahead jazz” — NPR

This album reveals a new side of Prieto — lyricist. He grew up with a great love of popular songs and melodies, influenced by Cuban boleros, Los Van Van, Elis Regina, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Queen, Stevie Wonder, and more. Prieto felt inspired to create a record that would engage listeners through both music and words. He invited Souza as his collaborator, an admirer of her talents as one of the world’s leading vocalists and interpreters (she ultimately contributed lyrics on several tracks as well). The album features songs in three languages — English, Spanish, and Portuguese — and aims to reach a global audience.

Prieto and Souza are joined by a trio of masterful improvisers on the album, including Peter Apfelbaum (Woodwinds, Melodica, Percussion, and Pads), Martin Bejerano (Piano and Vocals), and Matt Brewer (Acoustic and Electric Bass).

“[Luciana Souza’s] voice traces a landscape of emotion that knows no boundaries” — Entertainment Weekly

Recorded in September 2021, the project is co-produced by legendary GRAMMY-winning producer and Souza’s husband, Larry Klein (Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, Madeleine Peyroux, Walter Becker, Melody Gardot), and GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer Eric Oberstein (Dafnis Prieto, Arturo O’Farrill), Prieto’s collaborator for the past half decade.

The project also features the work of an all-star team of engineers, including recording engineer Andy Taub (Brooklyn Recording), mixing engineer Mike Marciano (Systems Two Recording Studio), and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.

Cantar is Prieto’s ninth album as a leader, and his latest release on his Dafnison Music label, which he founded in 2008. Release Date: September 16th, 2022.

Personnel

Dafnis Prieto, Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Music Director
Luciana Souza, Vocals, Percussion
Peter Apfelbaum, Woodwinds, Melodica, Percussion, Pads
Martin Bejerano, Piano, Vocals
Matt Brewer, Acoustic & Electric Bass

Produced by Larry Klein & Eric Oberstein

Track List

Guajira en Sol (Spanish)
When I Miss You (English)
Houve Um Tempo (Portuguese)
Sueño de Amor (Spanish)
To the Concert (Wordless/Instrumental)
Brisa (Spanish)
Amanhecer Contigo (Portuguese)
Unknown Man (Instrumental)
The Muse (English)
Guajira en Lu (Instrumental)

Music & Lyrics by Dafnis Prieto, except as follows:

The Muse: Music by Dafnis Prieto, Lyrics by Luciana Souza & Dafnis Prieto
Houve Um Tempo: Music by Dafnis Prieto, Lyrics by Luciana Souza
Amanhecer Contigo: Translation to Portuguese by Luciana Souza

Executive Producers: Harsha Murthy, Lindsay Evans & Joe Morone, Rebecca Henderson & Jim Morone
Associate Producer: Joe Morra

Recorded by Andy Taub on September 2-4, 2021 at Brooklyn Recording Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Mixing Engineer: Mike Marciano, Systems Two Recording Studio, Long Island, NY
Mixing: Mike Marciano, Dafnis Prieto, Larry Klein, Eric Oberstein
Mastering Engineer: Bernie Grundman, Bernie Grundman Mastering 
Publicity: Chris DiGirolamo/Two for the Show Media

Featured photo of Dafnis Prieto by Osmani Tellez
Featured Photo of Luciana Souza by Kim Fox

Source for this article: Two for the Show Media