Marcelo Sant'Anna
composer | guitarist
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About the Artist
Marcelo Sant'Anna is a composer and guitarist who studied Functional Harmony and Guitar at Musiarte School of Music in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1995). He also pursued studies in "Jazz Improvisation" at Berklee College of Music, "The Blues: Understanding and Performing an American Art Form" at the University of Rochester, NY, and explored "Modal Harmony" as well as "The Lydian Chromatic Concept." Marcelo has had the privilege of learning from renowned musicians such as Nelson Faria, Hermeto Pascoal, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Frank Gambale (Chick Corea), Mike Moreno, Heitor TP (Simply Red), Ernie Watts (Dizzy Gillespie, Rolling Stones, Motown), Kenny Werner, Daniel Santiago and Ricardo Silveira.
Marcelo has been involved in original bands like Vox Pop and Talladega Trio, as well as instrumental groups such as Jazz Brasileiro, led by drummer Jorge Casagrande, among other projects. He has also worked as a session musician. An independent researcher on the Creative Process in Music, Marcelo is also a producer of soundtracks for audiovisual art and engages in sound explorations for multidisciplinary projects in collaboration with other artists.
His sources of inspiration include a diverse range of artists, such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Robben Ford, Toninho Horta, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Collins, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Milton Nascimento, Lô Borges, and Hermeto Pascoal.
New album
"Ad Lib"(11/10/2024)
Cover Art: Marcelo Sant'Anna
Ad Lib, short for the Latin term "Ad Libitum," is used in various artistic fields and means "at will" or "at one's pleasure." In music, it often refers to the freedom of tempo when performing a specific piece, much like the term "Rubato" (which means "stolen" in Italian). This freedom, commonly embraced by pianists and more rarely by guitarists, forms the central pillar of the concept behind my new solo guitar album, Ad Lib.
"Viva la libertà!"
Santa Tapes (02/08/2024)
Cover Art: Fabio Rodrigues
Album “Santa Tapes”
The album “Santa Tapes” (2024) was conceived in an unconventional way. Recorded as a trio — guitar, electric bass, and drums — the entire process took place in a single day, June 22, 2023, at the studio of drummer Renato Massa Calmon (Azymuth), located in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. The album’s name is a combination of this iconic location with my surname, Sant’Anna.
The tracks were created spontaneously, recorded in single takes, with a focus on melodic and harmonic improvisation. The interaction with musicians Mac Willian Caetano (Ed Motta, Nico Assumpção, Jorge Ben Jor) and Eddy Pinheiro (Gerson King Combo) was crucial to the creation of this work, which is based on the free exploration of musical ideas.
The influences for the album are diverse, spanning musical and interdisciplinary references that include Modernist Architecture, Bauhaus, Dadaism, Expressionism, Impressionist Music, Modal Music, and Cinema.
Tracks:
- Maastricht, Brugge, Viseu, and Horta: Tributes to the birthplaces of my ancestors.
- Turku: The opening track is a thank you to my sister Raquel and her family for their support during the difficult process I went through before and during the recording of the album.
- The Style: Refers to the Dutch movement “De Stijl” and its functional purity, which dialogues with modal music.
- Béton Swing: Inspired by Thelonious Monk’s “Bemsha Swing” and the minimalism of modernist architecture, where concrete (béton in French) was widely used.
- Sechs: Means “six” in German, being the sixth track recorded for the album, and also plays with the sound of the word “sex” in English, which reflects the mood of the music.
- Freiheit: Means freedom in German, one of the fundamental concepts of the album, which emphasizes melodic and harmonic freedom. It is also a tribute to Große Freiheit street in Hamburg, where the Beatles, one of my childhood influences, performed early in their careers.
- Giges and Creso: Tributes to the first and last kings of Lydia, respectively, referencing the Lydian mode, which permeates the album’s concept, based on my studies of George Russell’s “Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization.”
Testimonials:
“George Russell stated: ‘The Lydian Chromatic Concept is a concept that provides the musician with an awareness of the entire spectrum of tonal colors available in equal temperament tuning. Therefore, it is not a system, but a vision or philosophy of tonality in which the musician, it is hoped, will find their own identity.’
This is exactly what I heard and felt with the album Santa Tapes! An awareness of sound and great dialogue with the musicians—a true masterpiece!”
— Michael Machado (teacher, producer, and arranger for musicians such as Danilo Caymmi, Nelson Faria, Pascoal Meirelles, Ney Conceição, and João Castilho)
“I listened to what you sent here in the studio, very good!!! Congratulations!!! I loved the concept, the vibe, and the execution!!!”
— Zé Luis (artist, saxophonist, composer, and producer, seven-time Grammy nominee)
“A living, free, warm, and courageous album… all takes recorded in one go without anything prearranged.”
— Mac Willian Caetano (drummer)
“Marcelo Sant’Anna, besides being a great musician, is a tireless explorer of sound, and in this album, he masterfully brings this technical and creative fusion to the blues.”
— Márcio Hallack (pianist, composer, and arranger)
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"I’ve listened to your new album 3 or 4 times, and it’s on my walking playlist. It’s AMAZING, and I’m not just saying that to be nice; this is a very sincere comment! The work showcases an enormous amount of class and artistic maturity. It has many great grooves and textures but without the typical verbosity that we guitarists are often guilty of (I include myself on that list, but you’ve shown to be a rare exception). The guitar is 100% tied to the composition and the band’s work, with 0% of ‘showing off.’ Excellent work, man! And your rhythm section is incredibly good! CONGRATULATIONS!!!"
— Fabio Dwyer (guitarist, composer, and owner of Mill House School of Music in Toronto - Canada)