Sandy Cressman
vocals
Vocalist Sandy Cressman was born in New York, but she found her musical home when she first heard the music of Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins. From that moment on, Sandy felt a deep affinity for Brazilian music and devoted herself to studying and performing it. She studied Portuguese and immersed herself in the music of Lins, Djavan, Milton Nascimento, Dori Caymmi, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and many others. Since 1996, Sandy has collaborated extensively with Brazilian keyboardist Marcos Silva. Silva's work as a pianist and musical director for such artists as Flora Purim, Toninho Horta, and others helped to define the sounds and styles that initially attracted Sandy to Brazilian music, and the two quickly developed an extensive repertoire and effortless musical interplay.
In 1997, Cressman and Silva expanded their duo into a quintet called Homenagem Brasileira. The group has released two acclaimed albums of Brazilian songs and performed across the United States, as well as in France, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. Homenagem Brasileira's repertoire embraces the diversity of Brazil's musical traditions, rather than simply focusing on Brazilian standards that have already crossed over into the jazz world. According to Brazilian keyboardist and musicologist Jovino Santos Neto, “after decades of listening to countless American singers rehash the same five or six tunes over and over, it is indeed a breath of fresh air to hear someone who is not afraid to try something new.”
Selected discography
As a leader
Brasil - Sempre no Coração (Cressman Music, 2005)
Homenagem Brasileira (Cressman Music, 1999)
As a performer
Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra - Mondo Rama (Narada World, 2002) - Grammy nominee for Best New Age Album
Ray Obiedo - Iguana (Windham Hill, 1991)
Ray Obiedo - Sticks and Stones (Windham Hill, 1993)
Ray Obiedo - Sweet Summer Days (Windham Hill, 1997)
Pete Escovedo - Flying South (Concord Crossover, 1996)
