“No one in the United States is doing more to breathe new life into Fado than Ramana Vieira, a sultry, dramatic singer.”
-Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Chronicle
Called "a rising star in World Music" by the San Francisco Examiner, vocalist Ramana Vieira brings us her unique style of Fado music and celebrates the release of her new CD "Lagrimas De Rainha" (Tears of a Queen) tonight. Ramana Vieira has solidified her place as one of the premier world music artists who understands the tradition of Portuguese Fado singing, a melancholy and often-mournful music similar to the American blues, yet continues to creatively construct a path into the future by combining new musical textures and original compositions. Ramana will be accompanied by her amazing ensemble of musicians that include: Marcie Brown (cello), Alberto Ramirez (bass guitar), Jeffrey Luiz (classical guitar), Stephen La Porta (drums/percussion) and special guest musicans Benito Cortez (violin) and Didier Bouvet (guitar).
Opening for Ramana Vieira and her Ensemble will be Bob Gordon and his All-Star Review. Bob has been a prominent music industry attorney for many years, representing a number of Superstar musicians and singers. He plays the ukulele, an instrument brought to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese farm workers centuries ago. Bob will relate stories about some of his famous clients, accompanied by ukulele and vocal renditions of their well known songs.
RAMANA VIEIRA sings with such a wide range of emotions one cannot help but be mesmerized by images of “old world” Portugal that emerge from the depths of her soul. Her extraordinary gift of bringing this 15th century style into modern times is her unique trademark. Often referred to as the “New Voice of Portuguese World Music,” this powerful vocalist is making her mark as one of the premier contemporary Fado artists.
According to the Portuguese, Fado is a melancholy and often-mournful music similar to the American blues as it tells stories of heartache and disappointment. The essence of the poetry is the quality of “saudade,” a word that is difficult to translate as it expresses a myriad of feelings.
Ramana’s personal relationship to Fado music lies deep in her family history, as her grandfather was a famous musician and composer from Madeira Island, Portugal. Born in San Leandro, California to Portuguese immigrants, Ramana was fortunate to be exposed to the voices of Portugal’s past at a young age. “During my childhood, I sang with my mother to Amália Rodgrigues and other fabulous fadistas that were part of her special record collection,” said Ramana in a recent interview. Her mother quickly observed her daughter’s gift for music and by the age of ten she bought a piano so that Ramana could study classical music.
Her passion for music continued as she matured and eventually she attended The American Conservatory Theatre where she did her vocal training with Faith Winthrop, San Francisco's grande dame of song and one of the most respected singers and vocal coaches on the scene today. Along with singing, Ramana studied drama and dance as well as performing in many theatrical productions. Although she had dreams of a Broadway career her direction shifted abruptly when a famous music producer inspired her to embrace her Portuguese roots. Shortly after that she found herself on an unexpected journey to Portugal where she had the opportunity to perform with the local Fado singers and musicians bringing the house to it’s feet with her authentic, yet individual style. “It was there I discovered that there was nothing in the world more gratifying to me than singing Fado.”
Called a “rising star in World Music” by the San Francisco Examiner, Ramana has solidified her place as an artist who understands the tradition of Fado singing and continues to creatively construct a path into the future by combining new musical textures and original compositions. Many of the songs on her recordings are inspired by Ramana’s main influence, Amália Rodrigues, known as the "Rainha do Fado" ("Queen of Fado") and who is attributed to popularizing the Fado worldwide. According to Ramana, “nobody else is doing what we are doing with Fado. Take the feel and groove of Shakira and the melodic textures of Dulce Pontes and that is how I would describe our music.”
ALBERTO RAMIREZ, ELECTRIC BASS
Alberto Ramirez, born and raised in the San Francisco bay area, was always surrounded by the melting pot of musical styles, especially jazz, latin, and funk. Alberto, now in his fourth year with the ensemble, contributes a bedrock presence that exudes these influences. His warm, musical approach serves first and foremost to color the song and the arrangement rather than call attention to himself. Alberto also finds time to play bass
with the Caribbean-style sounds of the "Jump Up Steel Band," with which he has performed for many years. When he's not playing bass, Alberto rebuilds homes and explores vegetarian restaurants.
JEFFREY LUIZ CLASSICAL GUITAR
Jeff is a San Francisco native, and was introduced to Fado by his mother, who was born in Terceira, Portugal. Jeff has been an integral member of Ramana's ensemble for six years and considers this project to be his most "gratifying and enriching" musical experience, and feels it "a blessing to share this wonderful music -- so full of melody, emotion, and passion" -- with audiences everywhere. Jeff provides a three-fold role in
the ensemble as guitarist -- to help establish the harmonic structure, to play beautiful melodic lines, and to help create a rhythmic backbone for the music. Jeff studied music at the U.O.P Conservatory of Music in Stockton prior to completing his studies at San Francisco State University. Jeff has performed pop/rock, jazz, and bossa nova around the Bay Area as a soloist and as part of ensembles. A physical fitness guru, Jeff is also a personal trainer at the prestigious San Francisco Bay Club.
MARCIE BROWN CELLIST
Marcie enjoys using her cello to add sensual tones and distinctive textures to Ramana's romantic version of Fado music. While at times the distinguished melodic solo voice in the Ensemble, Marcie also helps propel the music's rich grooves with her use of the cello as a rhythmic tool. The newest member of the Ensemble, Marcie has a prominent history in the music business. She performed with the Cirque du Soleil's "O" show in Las Vegas for two
years before joining the Tucson Symphony Orchestra for a season. Marcie has shared the stage with many well-known artists, such as: Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, Andrea Bocelli, and Luciano Pavarotti. She recorded and performed with Yusef Lateef in Verona, Italy as part of a backup band for Sting. Her solo cds include the African, Indian, and Brazilian-influenced "Night of a Thousand Rains" and the recently released "Butterfly Girl" -- a gypsy/classical/world music mixture. Marcie received her master's degree in classical music from the Manhattan School of Music and is working on a master's degree in jazz improvisation and composition from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Marcie headed the string department at the Oakland School for the Arts in 2006, taught Suzuki cello at the Sycamore Strings Academy in Livermore, and teaches privately in Alameda.
STEPHEN LaPORTA DRUM & MULTI-PERCUSSION
Steve uses a hybrid set-up consisting of drum kit, hand drums, and small percussion. He applies a spectrum of world rhythms and glistening textures to the traditional Fado elements in Ramana Vieira's unconventional style of music. Historically, drums and percussion are not found in Fado music, yet, Steve welcomes this opportunity to help Ramana and the Ensemble develop a new approach and a new sound. A Chicago native, Steve is a veteran of
the Bay Area music scene. In the past couple of years, he has contributed to the recordings of "East Bay Mudd," "Bob Falstein & Delish," "Blue Bossa," "Otta Nowhere," "Loren Davidson," "Soul, Rhythm, and Groove," "LZ Love," "Michael Sweetland," "Joti," "Emerge," "Victoria Phillips," and "LZ Phoenix." He has performed at many major venues, including: The Concord Pavilion, The Cow Palace, Warfield Theatre, Great American Music Hall, San Francisco Civic Center Main Stage (in front of 75,000 people), Bach, Dancing & Dynamite Society, Aragon Theatre, St. Mary's College, the Catalyst, Shoreline Amphitheater, Regency Theater, the original Sweetwater, Fairmont Hotel, Slims, Biscuits and Blues, Bimbos 365 Club, and the Claremont Hotel and Resort (where he has been a member of "Delish" house band for nine years.) A graduate of U.C. Berkeley, Steve continues to expand his musical horizons under the study of his musical mentors, Chuck Brown and Michael Spiro.
