"A bright new voice on Brazil's teeming vocal scene, Talem recently released a lovely debut CD featuring a savvy selection of well-crafted Brazilian pop songs. Backed by a superlative band, Talem possesses an inviting neo-bossa nova sound, with a cool tone and understated delivery." - San Jose Mercury News

Brazilian Music Profile: Patricia Talem

Quotes

"A bright new voice on Brazil's teeming vocal scene, Talem recently released a lovely debut CD featuring a savvy selection of well-crafted Brazilian pop songs. Backed by a superlative band, Talem possesses an inviting neo-bossa nova sound, with a cool tone and understated delivery."
San Jose Mercury News

"...singing sensation from Brazil Patricia Talem (has)...a pure jazz, sophisticated pop style."
Village News

"...a new diva is born!"
The Brasilians

"...an enchanting voice...a memorable release and stellar debut."
Luxury Experience Magazine

"...the band was incredibly tight and (Patricia) has a great voice..."
Ernest Barteldes, freelance writer for Miami New Times, New York Press and others

Introduction

Brazilian newcomer Patricia Talem is both a fresh voice and someone's who's not afraid to borrow something inspired from the past. On her self-titled debut album, to be released in the US on July 7, 2009 by nuGroove/Points South Music, the young vocalist from São Paulo offers a captivating selection of songs flavored with classic MPB (Brazilian popular music), jazz -- the kind of pure, non-vibrato sonority we fell in love with with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto - and sophisticated pop.

Patricia has smartly teamed up with an all-star collection of musicians, including Yellowjackets Jimmy Haslip and Russell Ferrante, and songwriters such as Chico Buarque, Rita Lee and Ron Sexsmith, aligning all of the right ingredients for a perfect recording debut.

Three years ago, in the capable hands of producers Marco da Costa (Latin Grammy 2004) and producer, arranger and composer Sandro Albert, Patricia began sifting through the catalogues of some of Brazil's finest songwriters - revered masters like Buarque, Lee and Renato Motha and rising stars Keco Brandão and Elder Costa. She also chose two songs from the North American songbook, a Portuguese-language version of the vintage "Stella by Starlight" and Ron Sexsmith's "Never Give Up", which features a guest performance by James Taylor sideman singer Arnold McCullers. Together, singer and producers came up with a wide-ranging repertoire that expresses Patricia's goal to "…create a portrait of my life right at this moment", a moment that promises a very successful international career. "Everything used to be so chic…", sings Patricia on the Rita Lee-penned "Só De Você". With Patricia Talem, it still is.

To kick off her US CD release, Patricia has live dates scheduled on both East and West coasts. Joining her in New York are Onaje Allan Gumbs (piano), Michael O'Brien (bass), Marco da Costa (drums) and Sandro Albert (guitars). West Coast dates will feature Jimmy Haslip, Russell Ferrante, Marco da Costa and Sandro Albert.

Biography

Patricia Talem belongs to a new generation of Brazilian music talents. She has been close to the world of music and dance since a young age. She began studying music at 14, with piano and singing lessons.

In 2006, together with her producer, Marco da Costa, Patricia began researching material for her first album self-titled Patricia Talem. "My goal was to find compositions that portrayed this moment of my current life and the state of my soul."

Album

When the CD begins to play, any initial doubts in its respect are quickly dispelled. Patricia Talem is a singer of surprising talent. She knows how to balance musical sophistication with pop spirit.

Her first CD presents us with a repertoire of different tracks that talk about grassroots, sexuality, love and even pop culture.

The album was recorded in Los Angeles. It was produced by Marco da Costa, who received the Latin Grammy in 2004 for his co-production of singer Maria Rita's debut record, and whose résumé includes such names as Rita Lee, Hermeto Pascoal, Itamar Assumpção and Bocato, among others. The album was co-produced by Sandro Albert, a Brazilian guitarist who was brought up in New York and whose résumé names partnerships with Milton Nascimento, Victor Bailey, Abraham Laboriel, Kenny Garret and Peter Erskine, among others.

The Yellowjackets Russell Ferrante and Jimmy Haslip, provided the backing on tha album. Sandro Albert plays the guitars and electric guitars and Marco da Costa, the drums.

Many guest singers enrich the work, featuring a sole song in English composed by Canadian Ron Sexsmith and sung by Arnold Mc Culler (Phil Collins, James Taylor). Patricia partners with singer and composer Elder Costa (Milton Nascimento, Trio Mocotó, Ana Carolina) to sing the "Tua Cidade" track, also featuring Caçulinha.

The outstanding solos of "Tardes Castanhas" and "Só de Você" are performed by saxophonist Katisse Buckingham, while Keco Brandão adds his talent to the "Timidez" and "Filho do Mar" tracks.

Distinguishing the work are unique compositions by Flávio Venturini, Alexandre Blasifera, Renato Motha, Patricia Lobato, Keko Brandão, Jairzinho, Elder Costa, Marcelo Pompeu, Rita Altério, Pedro Altério and Sandro Albert, and rereadings like "Só de Você," by Rita Lee and Roberto de Carvalho, and "Ludo Real," by Chico Buarque and Vinicius Cantuária, and a version of "Stella by Starlight" by Pedro Baldanza.

Capturing and mixing are done by engineer Rich Breen (Dianne Reeves, Herbie Hancock, Robben Ford, Norah Jones), and mastering by Dave Collins (Sting, Sarah Brightman, Joe Cocker).

Patricia sings with a happy heart, but also takes on melancholy.

She has a lovely voice, surprises us with her clear notion of the fundaments of singing, and abounds in novel nuances.

Check it out. You're going to like it.