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Take Five with Pianist Marta Karassawa
Meet Marta Karassawa
Marta Karassawa, a Brazilian pianist and arranger, graduated from Berklee College of Music and formed the Marta Karassawa Quintet in 2001, bringing to light the nostalgia of the great jazz quintets of the '40s and '50s. With it, she performed on the stages of various clubs and festivals. Now, completely revamped, she leads her quintet, with a lineup of renowned musicians, includingTeco Cardoso
saxophone, tenorSidmar Vieira
trumpet
Frank Herzberg
bass, acoustic
Ze Eduardo Nazario
drums
Jacques Schwarz-Bart
saxophone, tenorThe album release shows have been sold out in several jazz clubs in S?o Paulo, such as Blue Note and JazzB.
Instrument
I have been playing the piano since I was seven years old.Teachers and Influences
I was in my early twenties when I first heard
Bill Evans
piano1929 - 1980
When I went to Berklee, I had a Japanese piano teacher, Yuki Arimasa, who helped me a lot with chord construction and harmony. Another teacher I learned a lot from was Ed Tomasi on harmonic considerations for jazz improvisation. Back in Brazil, I started listening to
Wynton Kelly
piano1931 - 1971
Benny Green
pianob.1963
Hermeto Pascoal
fluteb.1936
Egberto Gismonti
guitarb.1947
I knew I wanted to be a musician when...
Although I started playing the piano at age seven, I didn't know it would be my livelihood for a long time. I come from a family of Engineers and Architects, so it seemed natural for me to study Architecture, as I enjoyed drawing as much as playing the piano. When I was halfway through the course, I realized that my great passion was playing the piano. Then I graduated and followed my heart, trying to get a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, which I did.Your Sound and Approach to Music
It seems funny how your roots can influence your way of playing and composing. As I'm Brazilian, I grew up listening to a lot of Brazilian music, bossa nova, MPB, samba... jazz came much later. So, although I love jazz swing, hard bop, cool, fusion, when I compose, Brazilian rhythms come to my mind first. Most of my compositions are based on Brazilian rhythms, bai?o, bossa nova, part alto, and samba.Your Dream Band
I feel blessed to play with these incredible musicians who are featured on my album. They are some of the best musicians on the S?o Paulo and international jazz scene. Teco Cardoso is a renowned flutist and saxophonist who plays frequently in Europe, Japan, and the USA with
Monica Salmaso
vocalsb.1971
Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Dave Liebman
saxophoneb.1946
Airto Moreira
percussionb.1941
John McLaughlin
guitarb.1942
Paul Chambers
bass, acoustic1935 - 1969
Jimmy Cobb
drums1929 - 2020
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
Favorite Venue
JazzB in S?o PauloYour favorite recording in your discography and why?
I have more than one favorite recording. A Brazilian, I would say Samambaia by Cesar Camargo Mariano and Hélio Delmiro. As I said, Cesar Camargo was one of my biggest influences on Brazilian piano, and this is an iconic album. Kelly Blue by Wynton Kelly is another. The rhythm section for this album was the same as that for Miles' Kind of Blue, with Paul Chambers, Wynton Kelly, and Jimmy Cobb. I loved the repertoire and arrangements so much that I took them as a basis for the beginning of my quintet's work back in 2001.What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?
Nowadays, we have such a large number of talented musicians, not only musically but also technically, that compared to them, I don't consider my work as relevant. On the other hand, my compositions and arrangements are my story. This album I just released, Tempo Bom, tells the entire trajectory of my musical life. I have a composition from the time I was studying at Berklee, then when I was pregnant with my first child, for my husband, who is also the bassist on this project, for my other two children... another song that I dedicated to my parents because it brings me the memory of my childhood... So I think this album is very rich and colorful because it reflects different moments in my life. And I could also count on these exquisite musicians, with incredible solos.Did you know...
I am a practicing Catholic, and I have a great devotion to Our Lady, who has always helped me in everything.What is the greatest fear when you perform?
Until the day before, I have every fear you can imagine... fear of speaking in public, forgetting the music, not playing a good solo... but I think the worst of them is speaking in public! When I'm on the stage, everything disappears!The first jazz album I bought was
Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard at Tower Records when I moved to Boston.Music you are listening to now
I'm not listening to anything specific at the moment. I listen to music usually when I'm driving and I listen to jazz radio.How would you describe the state of jazz today?
I think nowadays almost everything is considered to be jazz. Just take a look at these jazz festivals to find almost all types of genres that are called "jazz" but really aren't. Without being too harsh or pure about the conception of what jazz is, I still think that yes, there are a lot of good musicians doing jazz. As I said before, there are many talented musicians who have a good grasp of this and are doing a great job! There are also many women shining on the jazz scene: Maria Schneider,
Esperanza Spalding
bassb.1984
Diana Krall
piano and vocalsb.1964
Hiromi
pianob.1979
What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?
I don't sing or whistle in the shower...By Day
My daily job is teaching and practicing piano, taking care of the house, my husband, three children, and a cat.If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be
I can't think of anything else... but working in something on the beach would be great!Tags
Take Five With...
Marta Karassawa
AAJ Staff
Brazil
Sao Paulo
Teco Cardoso
Sidmar Vieira
Frank Herzberg
Ze Eduardo Nazario
Jacques Schwarz-Bart
Stephanie Borgani
Chico Macedo
JazzB
Bill Evans
Ed Tomasi
Wynton Kelly
Benny Green
Cesar Camargo Mariano
Hermeto Pascoal
Egberto Gismonti
Monica Salmaso
Maria Schneider
Dave Liebman
Airto Moreira
john mclaughlin
Paul Chambers
Jimmy Cobb
John Coltrane
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