Our current Spotlight Artist, vocalist Sofia Tosello, brings Argentinean folk music and jazz together in an organic way that displays her natural connection to both styles on her release Alma Y Luna. Tosello’s commanding vocal presence drives the show, as she guides her musicians through a variety of pieces with a healthy dose of musicality. She sings with the rich sound of experience, filling her smart phrases with specific articulations and a wide range of dynamics. At the same time, she expresses herself with the exuberance and energy of a youthful musician, showing her passion and love for the art form. Tosello’s ability to interpret the music of her native Argentina brings a rich personal side to the album and a defined sense of identity. The exposed and basic nature of the bomba leguero, guitar, and bass lends a taste of beauty to her music, while her openness to flights of improvisation infuses a bit of excitement into the mix. Her past collaborators enthusiastically support her throughout the album, delivering inspired performances from bassist Jorge Roeder, guitarist Miguel Rivaynera, saxophonist Yosvany Terry, bassist Yunior Terry, pianist Osmany Paredes, and more. There’s an elegance and style imbedded into Alma Y Luna that emanates from Tosello’s artistic personality, making it an intriguing release.

Tosello delivers a captivating performance presence that demands more attention, and fortunately, you can find her in plenty of places online. Start by going right to the source and check out Tosello’s website, a great source of information with a bio, performance schedule, videos, links, and more. If you’d like to become friends with Tosello, you can visit her MySpace Page, where you’ll find music from her album, pictures, and more. You might have moved onto that other social networking giant, so you might prefer to visit Tosello’s Facebook Page, where you can write on her wall, find lots more photos, check out a couple of her videos, sign up for her mailing list, and more. Tosello has been a regular fixture among many different New York Latin Jazz and traditional Latin groups - you can check out some of her frequent collaborators online, including Julio Santillián, Pedro Giraudo, Cocomama, and Retumba. Tosello’s album can be found on an established label - a good deal for a debut release - and you can check out Tosello’s label, Sunnyside Records, HERE. There’s a lot of possibilities to get to know this great artist better, so don’t wait, start clicking now!

Check out Tosello’s music through the links above and discover a talented and engaging young artist – you’ll be hooked right away! Tosello’s combination of jazz and Argentinean folk music shines with appeal; check it out and then pick up a copy of Alma Y Luna, a definite 2009 highlight. I’ve included some biographical information on Tosello below so that you can learn a bit more about this fantastic artist, and then a video of Tosello performing with guitarist Julio Santillán. Enjoy!

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Sofia Tosello, a remarkable young vocalist, originally from Cordoba, Argentina, belongs to an exciting new group of artists who are changing Latin American song. Rooted in the variety of Latin American cancion traditions, including tango, chacarera, bolero filin, son and zamba, one also hears shades of the downtown “world” jazz scene, bossa nova, and a bit of funk in Tosello’s performances.

“As a child growing up, I remember my parents listening to Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Roberto Goyeneche, Mercedes Sosa, The Platters, Luther Vandross, Debussy, Duke Ellington and many others. This was my earliest musical training.” Sofia started her musical studies, and had her first professional performance, when she was just eight years old. Subsequently, she studied and developed her vocal technique with singer Marcela Benedetti at La Colmena Instituto de Musica in Cordoba. Tosello’s interest in jazz, as well as her desire to explore the international dimensions of Latin music, led her to relocate to New York, at the age of 18, to study at City College of New York. “A whole new world opened up to me. My first jazz teacher and musical mother was Sheila Jordan, and she really taught me the art of making a song one’s own. I’ve also had the opportunity of singing with many Cuban, Colombian, Peruvian, and Venezuelan ensembles. That’s how I developed my rhythmic sensibility. Singing with Pedro Giraudo’s Jazz Orchestra and Julio Santillan Septet, which fuses jazz and Argentinean folk, has forged a stronger connection with my roots.”

Sofia’s debut CD, Alma y Luna, to be released on the Sunnyside Record Label on October 6, 2009, is the outcome of a long maturation period in New York City. Alma y Luna is an innovative project that finds the vocalist accompanied by a transnational group of Latin musicians Pavel Urkiza, Yosvany Terry, Julio Santillan, Yayo Serka, Mauricio Herrera, Pedro Giraudo, Osmany Paredes, Aquiles Baez, and Miguel Rivaynera, among others. Alma y Luna, which was produced by Fernando Aponte, features Tosello’s talents both as a songwriter and as an interpreter of Latin American composers such as Pavel Urkiza, Alberto Rojo, Chato Diaz, Ana Robles, Don Pancho Terry and Julio Santillan.

With the guitarra, contrabass and bombo leguero as her starting point, Tosello recreates a musical landscape that spans all of the Americas, from New York to Cuba to Buenos Aires. Rooted in the variety of Latin Americam cancion traditions, including tango, chacarera, zamba, bolero filin, and Peruvian vals, Alma y Luna also reflects an impressive range of sounds and textures that only the global village of New York can produce. Tosello prefers to see herself as a border-crosser, not bound by the logic of genre; her musical aesthetic is best described by words like hybridity and mestizaje. Tosello’s soulful and sensitive approach combines the best of today’s global currents in jazz, Latin, and pop music while maintaining a profound respect for tradition – a feat seldom achieved by young artists.

Ms. Tosello has performed, recorded and collaborated with a wide variety of talented artists such as Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra, Aquiles Baez, Julio Santillan Septet, Julio Santillan and Sofia Tosello Duo “Tribute to Borges”, Alex Cuba, Pavel Urkiza (Gema y Pavel ), Marta Gomez, La Cumbiamba eneye, Tito Castro, Cocomama, Retumba, Marvin Diz, Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, Diego Obregon y su grupo Chonta, Coba (Sebastian Cruz), Christos Rafalides, Jonathan Powell Band, Son de Madre, David Oquendo, Mariela Valencia, Pepe Vazquez, Thalia, El “Puma” Rodriguez, Octavio Cotan, Las Gardenias, Eladio “Pancho” Terry, Cable a Tierra, Cielo de Judas (Osvaldo Brizuela).

She has appeared at many noted venues including Summer Stage Central Park (NYC), Blue Note (NYC), Joe’s Pub (NYC), The Hecksher Theatre at EL Museo del Barrio (NYC), Jazz Standard (NYC), Jazz Gallery (NYC), Smoke (NYC), Drom (NYC), 55 Bar (NYC), Zinc Bar (NYC), Sweet Rhythm (NYC), The Knitting Factory (NYC), The Bitter End (NYC), SOB’s (NYC), Brooklyn Museum Stage (NYC), Queens Theatre in the Park (NYC), BAM Café (NYC), Festival del Bolero N4 (NYC), El Taller Latino Americano (NYC), FB Lounge (NYC), Aaron Davis Hall (NYC), APAP Convention (NYC), NJPAC (Newark), Madison Square Garden (w/Thalia) (NYC), Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA), Michigan Womyn’s Festival (Hart, MI), Macau International Music Festival (China), Teatro Amadeo Roldan (Cuba), and Teatro San Martin (Argentina).

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Sofia Tosello Performing “El Picarón” With Guitarist Julio Santillán

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Spotlight: Alma Y Luna, Sofia Tosello
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Sofia Tosello
Latin Jazz Report Card: 31st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival
Spotlight: Salsa n’ Jazz, Samuel Quinto Trio

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