Mestrinho & Nicolas Krassik

Nicolas Krassik (v), Mestrinho (acc) (photo by Rodrigo Ramalho)

I'll end 2016 at this blog by pointing you to a terrific CD released earlier this year featuring eleven tracks of virtuosic interplay and great music by the Mestrinho and Nicolas Krassik duo. The CD was released by Biscoito Fino and you can find more info here  and here. 

CD front, Mestrinho & Nicolas Krassik (Biscoito Fino, 2016)

Nicolas Krassik should be well known to readers of this blog. The French violinist (b 1969) has resided in Brazil since 2001 and is a highly respected musician on the Brazilian popular scene today. Nicolas Krassik has both conducted  a solo career in Brazil and  participated in performance and recordings by Brazilian artists such as Yamandú Costa, Hamilton de Holanda, Carlos Malta, Marisa Monte, Beth Carvalho, João Bosco, Gilberto Gil a.o.. It was during Krassik's collaboration with Gilberto Gil he met and became friends with accordionist Mestrinho, who also was a member of Gil's band. Mestrinho (b 1988) is from a musical family, and at the age of 6 he was already playing accordion and at age 12 he started performing on band tours in the area where he lived. Since childhood he has been influenced by the music of Dominguinhos, Sivuca, Oswaldinho do Acordeon, Hermeto Pascoal, Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Elba Ramalho, a.o.. Mestrinho has accompanied Dominguinhos in several shows throughout Brazil, and he has worked and recorded with Elba Ramalho and participated in Gilberto Gil's shows and recordings, in addition he also works as a producer and arranger and has recorded under his own name. 

Mestrinho & Nicolas Krassik (photo by Rodrigo Ramalho)

The CD by Mestrinho and Nicolas Krassik has eleven tracks of music by the duo, the musical style is influenced by the modern forró tradition known from works by  Dominguinhos a.o. - a composition by Dominguinhos opens the CD, Nilopolitano, and world famous accordionist Sivuca is represented through two of his co-compositions, João e Maria and Feira de Mangaio. Mestrinho is represented through two self penned compositions, Um sorriso de esperanca and Em minha alma, and Nicolas Krassik also contributes two of his own compositions, Cordestinos and Serelepe. The remaining repertoire comprises the duo's interpretation of Formosa by Baden Powell, Diabinho maluco by Jacob do Bandolim, Desvairada by Garoto and Villa-Lobos' Melodia sentimental. The interplay by the duo is terrific and leaves plenty of space for improvisation and attentive accompaniement by both artists, the result is an integrated and magnificent CD that showcasts both musicians' skills as great performers of a repertoire of fascinating and almost mesmerizing music. Highly recomended for repeated listening! - The CD may be purchased in mp3 format here 

Nicolas Krassik and Mestrinho in performance (photo by Renata Samarco)

The photo above was shot at a live performance by the duo last year presenting the material of the CD for an audience at the choro club of Brasilia. From this live performance  the duo's interpretation of 'Feira de Mangaio' has been recorded and uploaded at YouTube, inserted below 

To end this small review of the Mestrinho and Nicolas Krassik CD, I also like to point you to a TV presentation of the duo made earlier this year. The program is almost one hour, has some spoken info in between music and contains excellent performance by the duo of music from the CD, to be watched at You Tube here 

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A Happy New Year 2017 - Um feliz ano novo 2017!

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Jo

choromusic.blogspot@gmail.com