'Rovanio' from Brazilian vocalist, percussionist, and guitarist Nanny Assis is a remarkable kaleidoscope of styles, textures, ideas, and even languages, yet it never strays from the distinctive Brazilian elements that form the foundation of Assis's music.
No less than 20 artists appear across Rovanio's ten tracks. Including bassist Ron Carter, guitarist Chico Pinheiro, trumpeter Randy Brecker, pianist Fred Hersch, saxophonists John Ellis, Igor Butman, and Lakecia Benjamin; and vocalists Janis Siegel, Vinicius Cantuaria and Emanuel Yerday.
By 2020, Nanny Assis had 40 years as a performing musician under his belt. His esteem as a bossa/jazz vocalist, percussionist, and guitarist was well established, but for the Bahia native (now based in New York and South Florida) that was only part of the story. "Coming from Brazil, I have so many different styles and roots for my music," he says. "It's very rich - I wanted to present an album that would show the real me."
"It should really be called The Music of Nanny Assis and Friends," he says. The album also includes one standard, "Manha de Carnaval". "The other tracks are all collaborations: I partnered with somebody to do either words or music." In addition, Assis and guitarist Chico Pinheiro together arranged every tune but one.
