O Sorriso da Manu
Making use of the sonority of a small orchestra, Toninho Ferragutti presents his new album “O Sorriso da Manu”
The genesis of the album are the compositions made for the show “Luceros Group Dance Toninho Ferragutti”, under the artistic direction of Clarisse Abujamra, in which the dancers present themselves under the sound of a quartet formed by an accordion, percussion, clarinet and acoustic bass.. Over time, the compositions took on a life of their own. Being presented in an instrumental version in shows parallel to the dance show and excited with the result, Ferragutti decides to register his compositions in an album. To the already formed group with Alexandre Ribeiro (clarinet), Beto Angerosa (Percussion), Zé Alexandre Carvalho (Acoustic Bass), Toninho added the Paulo Braga piano and the string quartet formed by Ricardo Takahashi, Liliana Chiriac (violins), Adriana Schincariol (viola) and Raiff Dantas Barreto (cello), forming a small orchestra that fuses several languages.
The album includes the song ‘Paçoquinha’, dedicated to Olívia, his older daughter, as well as ‘Trilha feita à Lápis’, ‘Trilha feita à mão’ and ‘Choro da Madrugada’, which are songs with different stories that were added to the album.
Another highlight of the new album is the way it was registered. “Usually, when we work in a studio, the atmosphere is cold, each musician arrives on a different time and records his part separately. My intent was having a warm atmosphere”, says Ferragutti. He got what he wanted by recording everything live, with all the musicians playing together on the stage of the Fecap Theater in São Paulo city, in a concert without the presence of the public. “We took advantage of the acoustics of that theater, which was built exactly to produce this kind of sound I appreciate”.
By the hands of Ferragutti, the Brazilian accordion has earned a new projection on the last years. His praise by the critics individual discography, in addition to hundreds of participations in other artists recordings, demonstrate the sonorous richness of an instrument full of possibilities.
The task of adapting the songs for this formation was shared between the arrangers Edson José Alves, Rodrigo Morte, Neymar Dias, Alexandre Mihanovitch and Adail Fernandes.
Produced with resources from the Cultural Action from São Paulo State Program (PROAC), the disk was recorded on the stage of the Fecap Theater in just three six-hour sessions – which shows the intermeshing of the musicians. “This was the plan from the beginning: all of us playing live together, with no audience, just the acoustics of the theater” celebrates Ferragutti, who baptized the album after a song he composed in honor of his daughter.
Musicians
Toninho Ferragutti – Accordion
Ricardo Tahakashi – Violin
Liliana Chiriac – Violin
Eduardo Bello – Cello
Adriana Schincariol Vercelino – Viola
Zé Alexandre Carvalho – Acoustic Bass
Paulo Braga – Piano
Alexandre Ribeiro – Clarinet
Beto Angerosa – Percussion
Playlist
O Sorriso da Manu
Trilha feita à lápis
Nova
Trilha feita à mão
Circuleta
Flamenta
Paçoquinha
Choro da madrugada
Balanguinha
(All the songs were composed by Toninho Ferragutti)