We get into the groove with Claudio Passavanti, about to launch his new ‘Amuyada’ album in March, but has so much more to tell us…
First off, Claudio, before we delve into your stunning sounds, you launch the new album ‘Urban Latin Soul’ at London’s Jazz Cafe in February with an piece 10 band and various guests. One of my favourite venues EVER. It should be quite a night as you have such a massive following and tickets must be a flying out. 2006 saw you release your debut album ‘Urban Session’ on your label Sunlightsquare Records. Mr Claudio Passavanti, you know who to reach out to musically my man. You have culled together a team of heavyweight, world class musicians and vocalists for ‘Urban Latin Soul’ including drum legend Steve Gadd who has worked with the like’s of Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Al Jarreau, Eric Clapton, James Taylor, bassist Will Lee who has worked with George Benson, Sharlene Hector who sung on Basement Jazz and Bugz In The Attic tunes, percussionist Giovanni Imparato who did work on Richie Havens, Paco De Lucia and Chico Buarque records, drummers Nikolaj Bjerre who planted it on the hide of the Lamb kits and Cristiano Micalizzi. Oh, and trumpeter Quentin Collins who blew for Basement Jaxx, Craig David and Amy Winehouse. Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Talk us through it please. How did you get in contact with these people – are they friends, who were the best to work with on a vocal note, who do you want to work with again, and what tune from the album do you sing whilst drifting off to sleep at night thinking, god that’s a good piece of music…?
“Hi Dan, thank you for this interview and for your kind words. How did I get in touch with those great musicians is something that starts back to when I used to live in California years ago – I was only 20 then. At the time I was studying orchestral composing/arranging and playing piano in clubs around Los Angeles, often at a club on Ventura Blvd called Le Cafè… I would go there all the time and occasionally jam with some great musicians like John Patitucci, Dave Weckl and others from the glorious GRP Records. I ended up recording my first album for Sony Music Italy at Chick Corea’s Mad Hatter studio and started a long relationship with that collective of musicians… Steve Gadd and Will Lee are amongst them, and although I left the US only 2 years after, I never lost touch with them and every now and again we meet up in a recording studio and record music, like for ‘Urban Sessions’, my previous album. Once back to Europe I met Joy Malcolm by chance as she was lead vocalist for Incognito and one day my long time friend drummer Cristiano Micalizzi called me up for a few gigs with her (as a soloist). We collaborated ever since. I guess you can say that for the Sunlightsquare project I gathered all of the best musicians I had a chance to work with, for one reason or another, during the course of my career as a producer and pianist.
My favourite of them? Oh man, that’s a tough one. The way I see musical talent has more to do with the track I’m producing… There are musicians around that are possibly less or more of a virtuoso, but I think what matters is how a producer is able tune in with the natural sound of a performer, to make him shine. But I can tell you this much, you bet I’m going to record another album with Steve Gadd, he’s the king of the groove to me.
A piece of music of my album I really like? Well, there are moments when I’m not ultra critical about my own work, although it does not happen that often! Last time it was while listening to BBC Radio 1 when Gilles Peterson spun ‘Pastime Paradise’…I thought it sounded quite cool in the mix, and tapped my own shoulder. Ha ha ha!!!”
So your band is renowned for a Latin, nu-jazz, soul, reggae, funk and salsa feel – how did the act come together, what were you all listening to whilst on skateboards and what does each member play in the group?
“As a collective different artists, we all listen to different music but it’s fair to say that we’re influenced by the african american root. Zee Star comes from Trinidad and she sure adds a caribbean flavour, Joy Malcolm with her Jamaican heritage is definitely into Soul. I mostly listen to Afro-Cuban and House music recently. The last track I played today on my ipod is a Louie Vega remix of Hector Lavoe, and the last concert I’ve seen was Roy Ayers… I’m still very excited about it.”
Best restuarant / club / fashion designer / record label / rapper / bar / cartoon character / 80s pop singer / Trainer designer / actress / film ever made…
“Ha ha ha! I’m Loving this! Here we go: an Argentinean restaurant Buenos Aires in Broadway Market in the East End / The Jazz Cafe – Camden Town / Giorgio Armani / Ninja Tune / Beastie Boys / Nu Blu – NY/ Sylvester The Cat / Michael Jackson / Puma / Audrey Hepburn / The Blues Brothers…”
Who are your favourite 6 celebrities you’d invite to a dinner party – dead or alive?
“Oh my! How about a dinner party with Barack Obama, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Peter Sellers, Milla Jovovich and Diana Ross… Wanna come?”
“Group member Mustafa, a great DJ and producer from France – but then roamed to Rio De Janeiro, the UK and the Canary Islands. Some great tracks he has released – too many to mention, a bit of a nomad huh?
“He’s just an amazing character!!! He is the ultimate musician on the move…Can you imagine, he gave away his career as a top label manager to make his own music and had the guts to go to live in the Favela Barrio Vidigail for two years, just to grasp the real vibe of Brazilian music. Amazing. I respect him a lot. We met on myspace and it was love at first click… Ha Ha Ha Ha! We are working on 2 new remixes remotely (as we often do) at the moment.”
Best record of 2008?
“That would have to be Matthew Herbert’s ‘There’s Me And There’s You’…that guy really boggles my mind.”
What is the best record ever made?
“It doesn’t get any easier, does it?…Mmmm…. Mmmmmmm…Mmmmmmmmmm… What the hell, Miles Davis “Kind Of Blue”. There, I said it!”
Sunlightsquare ‘Amuyada’ will be released on February 2nd and ‘Urban Latin Soul’ Album on March 2nd 2009 on Sunlightsquare Records UK.
