Steen Rasmussen – RED BOSSA

Die legendäre brasilianische Sängerin Joyce Moreno ist von der musikalischen Gewandtheit des dänischen Pianisten und Komponisten Steen Rasmussen und seiner engen Beziehung zur brasilianischen Musik beeindruckt: „Er kennt sie in- und auswendig und spielt sie mit Respekt und einem tiefen Verständnis für alle Aspekte der Kunstform“.

Rasmussens ist ein Künstler, der seinem Herzen folgt. Die Magie der Musik des Trios ist eine kraftvolle Aussage und eine Erinnerung für alle, die sie hören, dass Schönheit in einer wilden Welt existiert. Es sollte nicht überraschen, dass eines von Steens Stücken Hymn to Life und ein anderes Happy Sadness heißt – genau die Emotion, die die brasilianische Musik im Allgemeinen und den Bossanova im Besonderen ausmacht.“

Steen’s Red Bossa Trio consists of Kasper Vadsholt, with his tastefully insightful bass playing, and one of Brazil’s most respected drummers, Celso De Almeida, who expertly and elegantly spices up the music just as it should be with an authentic ability to underplay things while being funky at the same time. Rasmussen has a close relationship with both musicians, having previously collaborated on the marvelous MILTON PÅ SVENSKA album released in 2023, where Steen and Swedish vocalist Josefine Cronholm interpret Milton Nascimento. Enjoy and take note of Rasmussen’s trio, who never let things get out of control. Instead, listeners (along with the band) can lean back comfortably against the underlying pulse that gets under everyone’s skin in the most wonderful way.

Throughout his musical career, Steen Rasmussen (b. 1968) has focused on integrating modern Brazilian music into his own compositions. His familiarity with the genre is unrivaled, and like few others, he can convey the characteristic and engaging ‘Brazilian feeling.’ The tasteful and alluring recordings with the Red Bossa Trio are no exception. All 11 tracks on the album were written by Rasmussen, with one exception, featuring Brazilian vocalist Marilda Almeida on a heartfelt version of Manhâ de Carnaval by Luiz Bonfá.

RED BOSSA was recorded in Copenhagen and cements Steen Rasmussen’s crucial role as Denmark’s leading interpreter of Brazilian music. Since his first introductions to Bossa, Samba, and the other sub-genres from the great South American country and culture, he’s dared to dive headfirst into things – fully committed and without a safety net.

Rasmussen has listened to and studied the best of the best, expanding his voice as a pianist and composer along the way. Artists like Joao Donato, Tania Maria, Djavan, Joyce, Elis Regina, and Toquinho all influenced him. Over the years, he cultivated and honed his fascination, mastering the fluid and harmonically superior Brazilian swing with compositions that are never pastiche. Instead, he plays and writes as if he were a local legend in the center of Rio de Janeiro.

Befriending Brazilian people is generally, and famously, easy. In fact, it’s about as challenging as loving Brazilian music. Both are almost automatically guaranteed. And so, while it’s generally not too tough to make friends with people from Brazil or become enamored with their music, on RED BOSSA, pianist Steen Rasmussen reminds us that he’s one-of-a-kind as he breaks down borders and adds a personal Nordic coolness to the musical language he loves, allowing it to speak to multiple continents of listeners and cultures simultaneously.

Steen Rasmussen: Piano, Kaspar Vadsholt: Bass, Celso De Almeida: Drums and percussion. Guest: Marilda Almeida, Clara Emilie Wessberg Rasmussen, Lis Wessberg, Jonas Krag.

TON TO TON / HYMN TO LIFE / RED BOSSA / HOME / BAIÃOZINHO / BOSSA PARA JOYCE / MANHÃ DE CARNAVAL / HAPPY SADNESS / NO MAIS, GERAES / SILENCE / EU SEI QUE VOCÊ SABE.

CD: STUCD 24082, LP: STULP 24081, Stunt Records, Sundance Music ApS.