Nicolas Krassik - Caçuá (2006)

«Caçuá, a word with Tupi (Indigenous Brazilian Language) origins, is a wicker or vine basket used to carry provisions and is transported by beasts of burden in the inland parts of the Brazilian Northeast.

It is also an inspired baião by João Lyra and Maurício Carrilho whose name Caçuá baptizes the second CD by French violinist settled in Rio since 2001, Nicolas Krassik.
The mixture of colors and spices very much Brazilian, this Caçuá brings together genres like choro, samba, baião and xote, framed by arrangements that highlight the sound of the quartet lead by Nicolas (with his violin, Nando Duarte on the seven string guitar, João Hermeto on percussion and Fabio Luna on drums), among guests Carlos Malta, Chico Chagas, Eduardo Neves and João Lyra.
One of the CD’s highlights is the participation of Seu Luiz Paixão, a rabequeiro from Pernambuco that dialogues with Nicolas’s violin on the last track of the CD, recreating the atmosphere of a Northeastern fair.
The repertoire of Caçuá is also the first registration of Nicolas as a composer in the cheerful Meu Maxixe and in the dense and slow samba, Petite Maman, dedicated to his mother Marie-Claude, who passed away in December 2005. The vibrant record exhibits the violinist’s talent in improvisation allied with his technique and sound characteristics. Nicolas, the Parisian is completely integrated into the Rio scene and is able to interpret all the classical repertoire of Brazilian instrumental music, an example being the waltz Santa Morena, by Jacob do Bandolim, whose arrangements allow for excerpts of traditional Turkish music.

In short, this is a caçuá filled with musical ideas that encourage dance, emotion, humor and contemplation. As well as, Nicolas’s first job as musical producer, here by my side in a demonstration of extreme sensibility, technical refinement and constantly maturing as an artist.» (Luís Filipe de Lima, NicolasKrassik.com. Review also available in French and Portugués version)

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