ARTIST
Dafnis Prieto
featuring Luciana Souza
TITLE
Cantar
RELEASE DATE
September 16, 2022
LABEL
Dafnison Music
PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED SINGLES FROM THE CANTAR SESSIONS!
PRAISE FOR CANTAR
Named one of Felix Contreras of NPR Music's Top 10 Albums of 2022
"[Prieto's music is] a marvel of acrobatic musicianship, with Souza’s voice hopping and gliding across tricky but joyful melodies, a glorious match of percussive angularity and tuneful allure"
— The New York Times
"breaking new ground"
— NPR All Things Considered
"So ably expressed in the vocals of Luciana Souza, it is Prieto as a composer and lyricist who creates the musical foundation for something transformative.... It is not often that these two worlds [the 'melodic' and the 'poetic'] come together seamlessly. With Cantar, we experience the beauty of 'cheerfulness, intimacy, and imagination.' But at the center is also a subtle experiment with form."
— DownBeat
"With its emphasis on composition, supported by the inspiring Souza and a creative cast of characters, Cantar shows Prieto as one of the most multidimensional artists working today"
— JazzTimes
"Make no mistake... [Prieto's] music comes with original [lyrics] that meet the highest standards of poetic content in song"
— Latin Jazz Network
"Prieto — with Souza’s magical interpretations of his work — has managed to craft an album of immense, songful, and poetic beauty"
— Latin Jazz Network
"As a player and writer, [Prieto] is a master of layered and interlocking rhythms that, no matter the complexity, always hew to a groove you can feel in your body. What's more, those grooves deliver melodies that stick in the ear."
— Jazziz
"a well-crafted global winner"
— Jazzwise (UK) ★★★★ Review
"Prieto... isn’t content to find a comfort zone and stay there throughout his career. He... welcomes variety and Souza helps him achieve it on Cantar."
— The New York City Jazz Record
"Prieto seems to know no bounds for his creativity. His lyrics sound highly personal and distinctive, and the addition of a poetic component to his already considerable talents bodes well for his future projects"
— SoundStage! Xperience
"a sparkling album.... already in my top 10 of 2022"
— Dan Ouellette
"Songs with lyrics are something new for Prieto, but you’d never know it from the songs he (and on several, Souza) wrote in three languages — English, Spanish, and Portuguese — making it a truly global affair.... [Prieto drives] the sound with his patented percussion. Ms. Souza is once again at the top of her game, her voice more than merely a device for the lyrics, but a true instrument in itself."
— Jeffrey Siegel, Straight No Chaser
"As charming as it is kinetic"
— Mel Minter, Musically Speaking
"[Prieto] plays with an unbelievable joy and spirit"
— Café Latino, JAZZ.FM91
"This is Prieto's first incorporation of lyrics... into his regime and hopefully not his last!"
— O's Place Jazz Magazine
TRACK LIST
Music & Lyrics by Dafnis Prieto (Dafnison Music/BMI), except:
Houve Um Tempo: Music by Dafnis Prieto, Lyrics by Luciana Souza (Answer Music/BMI)
Amanhecer Contigo: Translation to Portuguese by Luciana Souza
The Muse: Music by Dafnis Prieto, Lyrics by Luciana Souza & Dafnis Prieto
1. Guajira en Sol
-
Esa guajira que canta como un sinsonte
Esa guajira que vive dentro del monte
Esa guajira que tiene naturaleza
Esa guajira que lleva tanta belleza
Guajirita linda, vamos a disfrutar
Una mañanita, en el cañaveral
Con un cafecito, que te voy a invitar
Tú lo puedes bailar, la guajira en sol
Tú lo puedes bailar, la guajira en sol
Tú si que eres libre, guajirita con son
Tu sillon de mimbre, guajirita con son
Como irrepetible, guajirita por dios
Tú lo puedes bailar, la guajira en sol
Guajirita linda, vamos a disfrutar
Tú eres pura y sincera
Tú eres árbol, tierra y raíz
Como la primavera
Tú eres naturaleza
Tú eres lluvia, cielo y jazmín
Tú eres pura belleza
Esa guajira que canta como un sinsonte
Esa guajira que vive dentro del monte
Esa guajira que tiene naturaleza
Esa guajira que lleva tanta belleza
Esa guajira que mira, calla y compone
Esa guajira que alegra los corazones
Esa guajira que tiene naturaleza
Esa guajira que lleva tanta belleza
Esa guajira que canta como un sinsonte
Esa guajira que vive dentro del monte
Esa guajira que mira, calla y compone
Esa guajira que alegra los corazones
Guajira en Sol -
That country girl that sings like a mockingbird
That country girl that lives in the mountain
That country girl that has nature
That country girl that has so much beauty
Beautiful country girl, let’s go and enjoy
A morning, in the reed bed
With a little coffee, that I will invite you to
You can dance it, the country girl in the sun
You can dance it, the country girl in the sun
You are truly free, country girl with son
Your rocker chair of wicker, country girl with son
Like unrepeatable, country girl for God’s sake
You can dance it, the country girl in the sun
Beautiful country girl, let’s go and enjoy
You are pure and sincere
You are tree, sand, and root
Like the spring
You are nature
You are rain, sky, and jasmine
You are pure beauty
That country girl that sings like a mockingbird
That country girl that lives in the mountain
That country girl that has nature
That country girl that has so much beauty
That country girl that looks, quiet and composed
That country girl that brings happiness to the hearts
That country girl that has nature
That country girl that has so much beauty
That country girl that sings like a mockingbird
That country girl that lives in the mountain
That country girl that looks, quiet and composed
That country girl that brings happiness to the hearts
Country girl in the sun
2. When I Miss You
-
I would miss you forever
I would miss you forever
If I could not see you
You’re my angel of freedom
All I ever had
When I think I conceived you
Nothing can compare
Now you fly into the unknown
I will love you forever
You’re my soul my treasure
In my dreams I can see you
Always with a smile
I can feel your warm presence
In my every breath
Now you fly into the unknown
Light shines through
Right through your heart
Life is you
Is red, is blue
Light shines through
Right through your heart
Life is you
Is red, is blue
I will love you forever
You’re my soul my treasure
In my dreams I can see you
Always with a smile
I can feel your warm presence
In my every breath
Now you fly into the unknown
Light shines through
Right through your heart
Life is you
Is red, is blue
Light shines through
Right through your heart
Life is you
Is red, is blue
Light shines through
Right through your heart
Life is you
Is red, is blue
I would miss you forever
3. Houve Um Tempo
-
Eu quase que me esqueci
Mas não foi porque tentei
Foi que o coração pediu
Pra te amar e eu amei
Houve um tempo tão bonito
Onde a gente teve só prazer
Manhãs de sol e sal
E de noite a lua lá no céu
Brilhante
Estrela
Eu quase que me esqueci
Mas foi só você lembrar
Que a vida foi passando
E eu te deixei passar
Houve um tempo tão sagrado
Onde eu não pensava mais no amor
Pensava em ser e estar
Mesmo no silêncio havia um som
Distante
Estrela
Houve um tempo pra nós dois
Mas o tempo correu e não volta
Não vou mais olhar para trás
Mesmo que venha estar na memória
Houve um tempo pra nós dois
Mas o tempo correu e não volta
Não vou mais olhar para trás
Quando você vier na memória
Houve um tempo pra nós dois
Houve um tempo tão bonito
Onde a gente teve só prazer
Manhãs de sol e sal
E de noite a lua lá no céu
Brilhante
Estrela
Houve um tempo pra nós dois
[Repeat] -
I almost forgot
Unintentionally
Because my heart asked
To love, and I did
There was a time of beautiful things
When we had so much joy
Mornings of sun and salt
And at nighttime, the moon up in the sky
Shining star
I almost forgot
But you reminded me
That life happened
And I let you go
There was a time of sacred things
When we didn’t worry about love
All we did was to be and to stay
In silence and in sound
Distant star
There was a time for us
But even time has run ahead
I am not looking back
Even if I keep you in my memory
There was a time for us
But even time has run ahead
I am not looking back
When you come into my memory
There was a time for us
There was a time of beautiful things
When we had so much joy
Mornings of sun and salt
And at nighttime, the moon up in the sky
Shining star
There was a time for us
[Repeat]
4. Sueño de Amor
-
Voy a contar una historia de Amor
Aunque ya no espere escuchar de ti
Busco un amor, que me haga soñar
Alguien que yo pueda acariciar
Mientras te recuerdo a ti
Siento y quiero que comprendas
Que por amor es que te canto
Canto, desde que me viste acariciando al tiempo
Y es que el tiempo vino a mi
Y se fue sin descubrir mi amor por ti
Ando y es por el camino
Donde te tengo en mis brazos
Sueño, y un recuerdo gris de pasión que me despierta
Y te siento junto a mi
Abrazados al eden de esta canción
Llueve, aunque no pretenda
Buscar el llanto de tus ojos
Río y un vacío inmenso
Se apodera de mi
Y te siento junto a mi
Abrazados al eden de esta canción
No quise creer y venías tú, a mí -
I would like to tell this love story
Even when I don’t expect anything from you
I’m looking for a love, that makes me dream
Someone that I can caress
Meanwhile I remember you
I feel, and I want you to understand
That for love is that I sing to you
I sing, since you saw me touching time
And it is that time came to me
And it left without discovering my love for you
I walk and it is in the journey
That I find you in my arms
I dream, and a gray memory of passion wakes me up
And I feel you by my side
Hugging each other at the eden of this song
It rains, even when I don’t pretend
To see tears in your eyes
I laugh and an intense void
Takes over me
And I feel you by my side
Hugging each other at the eden of this song
I didn’t want to believe, but you came, to me
5. To the Concert
6. Brisa
-
Brisa, llegas tú
Sin miedo, sin querer
Caricias, que envuelves con tu ser
Brisa, dime tú
Que bailas por doquier
Que vuelas, que rozas con mi piel
Dónde vas, sin saber
Que no te puedo ver
Si eres tú mi canción
La que siempre canté
Mírame, Tócame, Bésame
Que eres tú, la que me acaricias
Que soy yo, la que se ilumina
Brisa, mi
Brisa, vuela a mí
Si abrazas con quietud
Que vengo, sin prisa y casi azul
Brisa, ven a mi
Repósate en mi ser
Te siento, y vuelvo a nacer
Brisa, vuelve a aquí
que extraño tu querer
retoza, diviértete en mi ser
Dónde vas, sin saber
Que no te puedo ver
Si eres tú mi canción
La que siempre canté
Mírame, Tócame, Bésame
Que eres tú, la que me acaricias
Que soy yo, la que se ilumina
Brisa, mi
Brisa, vuela a mí -
Breeze, you appear
Fearless, and without wanting
You caress, wrap in your being
Breeze, you tell me
That you dance all around
That you fly, that you brush my skin
Where are you going, without knowing
That I can’t see you
If you are my song
The one I always sang
Look at me, Touch me, Kiss me
It is you that caresses me
It is me that gets illuminated
Breeze, my
Breeze, fly to me
If you hug with stillness
That I come, without rushing, and almost blue
Breeze, come to me
Rest in myself
I feel you, and I am born again
Breeze, come back here
that I miss your love
frolic, and amuse yourself in my being
Where are you going, without knowing
That I can’t see you
If you are my song
The one I always sang
Look at me, Touch me, Kiss me
It is you that caresses me
It is me that gets illuminated
Breeze, my
Breeze, fly to me
7. Amanhecer Contigo
-
Amanhecer
Amanhecermos juntos sempre foi divino
Amanhecermos juntos sempre foi perfeito
E se existe uma razão, te digo
Poder abrir meus olhos e te ver comigo
Amanhecer
Amanhecermos juntos e ver seu sorriso
Sentir teu corpo, tua presença, teu carinho
Teu amor é uma forte benção
Que me adoça as manhãs intensas
Dentro de mim, você é o sol, a lua, o meu caminho
Sempre quis amanhecer contigo
Para beijar os teus olhos dormidos
Já somos dois
Dois corações batendo lado a lado
E agora eu que estou dormindo
Só pra poder amanhecer contigo
Dentro de mim, você é o sol, a lua, o meu caminho
Sempre quis amanhecer contigo
Para beijar os teus olhos dormidos
Nós somos dois
Dois corações batendo lado a lado
E agora eu que estou dormindo
Só pra poder amanhecer contigo -
Waking up
Waking up next to you has always been divine
Waking up next to you has always been perfect
And if there is a reason, I tell you
It is because I open my eyes and you are there
Waking up
Waking up next to you and seeing your smile
To feel your body, your presence, your affection
Your love is a blessing
That sweetens my mornings
Inside of me, You are the sun, the moon,
and you are my journey
I have always wanted to wake up near you
Just so I could kiss your sleepy eyes
There are two of us
Two hearts beating side by side
And now I am the one sleeping
So I can wake up next to you
Inside of me, You are the sun, the moon,
and you are my journey
I have always wanted to wake up near you
Just so I could kiss your sleepy eyes
We are two
Two hearts beating side by side
And now I am the one sleeping
So I can wake up next to you
8. Unknown Man
9. The Muse
-
When she arrives you set aside your thoughts
You receive her message
A revelation that she wants to share
Just like an open letter
Unveiling what is possible to be
A scent before arrival
When she comes in I draw her close to me
Just like a breath I need
You see
Like earth and wind and water
Fire, rain, just like the sun
Like clouds and sky
She holds a truth
That no one can deny
She takes shape without me knowing
Takes her time and when she blossoms
She then takes her space inside me
And I have to trust her
I want to trust her
When she begins to tell me what she sees
I embrace her fully
Ideas flow through me I want to share
Just like an open window
Revealing what is possible to me
The thoughts before the poem
When she comes in I draw her close to me
Just like a breath I need
You see
Like earth and wind and water
Fire, rain, just like the sun
Like clouds and sky
She holds a truth
That no one can deny
She takes shape without me knowing
Takes her time and when she blossoms
She then takes her space inside me
And I have to trust her
And when I close my eyes and look inside
My thoughts come rushing towards
A memory that tries to take me back
To a place so distant
I’m asking what is possible to me
Surrounding my reflection
When she comes in I draw her close to me
Just like a breath I need
You see
Like earth and wind and water
Fire, rain, just like the sun
Like clouds and sky
She holds a truth
That no one can deny
She takes shape without me knowing
Takes her time and when she blossoms
She then takes her space inside me
And I have to trust her
I have to trust her
Your voice arouses
The muse awakens
You contemplate your thoughts
Music is here
10. Guajira en Lu
PERSONNEL
Dafnis Prieto, Drums, Percussion, Vocals, Music Director
Luciana Souza, Vocals, Percussion
Peter Apfelbaum, Woodwinds, Melodica, Percussion, Keys
Martin Bejerano, Piano
Matt Brewer, Acoustic & Electric Bass
Produced by Larry Klein & Eric Oberstein
Executive Producers: Harsha Murthy, Lindsay Evans & Joe Morone, Rebecca Henderson & Jim Morone
Associate Producer: Joe Morra
Recorded by Andy Taub on September 2-4, 2021 at Brooklyn Recording Studio, Brooklyn, NY
Assistant Engineer: Samuel Wahl
Mixing Engineer: Mike Marciano, Systems Two Recording Studio, Long Island, NY
Mixing: Mike Marciano, Dafnis Prieto, Larry Klein, Eric Oberstein
Mastering Engineer: Bernie Grundman, Bernie Grundman Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
Cover & Package Design: Michael Quanci
Photos: Ebru Yildiz
Video: Makoto Matsuo, Vincent Venturella
Camera Operators: Jonathan Baudoin, Jacques Lang, Paul Lewis Anderson, Makoto Matsuo, Niklas Möller, Vincent Venturella
Publicity: Chris DiGirolamo / Two for the Show Media
Radio: Mark Rini / GROOV Marketing
Digital: Ethan Udell & Nell Jones / RYDER MGMT
ABOUT
In this special collaboration poised to be a top release of 2022, GRAMMY-winning Cuban-born drummer, composer, bandleader, and 2011 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dafnis Prieto unites with GRAMMY-winning Brazilian-born singer Luciana Souza for Cantar, an album featuring songs with music and lyrics by Prieto.
Since arriving in the U.S. from Cuba in 1999, Prieto has honed his forward-looking musical vision across a range of styles and formats. In the process, he has become equally known for his composing and arranging brilliance and his electrifying drumming, comfortable exploring a wide spectrum of musical vocabularies.
This album reveals a new side of Prieto — lyricist. He grew up with a great love of popular songs and melodies, influenced by Cuban boleros, Los Van Van, Elis Regina, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Queen, Stevie Wonder, and more. Prieto felt inspired to create a record that would engage listeners through both music and words. He invited Souza as his collaborator, an admirer of her talents as one of the world’s leading vocalists and interpreters (she ultimately contributed lyrics on several tracks as well). The album features songs in three languages — English, Spanish, and Portuguese — and aims to reach a global audience.
Prieto and Souza are joined by three masterful musicians and improvisers on the album, including Peter Apfelbaum (Woodwinds, Melodica, Percussion, and Keys), Martin Bejerano (Piano), and Matt Brewer (Acoustic and Electric Bass).
Recorded in September 2021, the project is co-produced by legendary GRAMMY-winning producer and Souza’s husband, Larry Klein (Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tracy Chapman, Madeleine Peyroux, Walter Becker, Melody Gardot), and GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer Eric Oberstein (Dafnis Prieto, Arturo O’Farrill), Prieto’s collaborator for the past half decade.
The project also features the work of an all-star team of engineers, including recording engineer Andy Taub (Brooklyn Recording Studio), mixing engineer Mike Marciano (Systems Two Recording Studio), and mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.
Cantar is Prieto’s ninth album as a leader, and his latest release on his Dafnison Music label, which he founded in 2008.
FROM DAFNIS
This is an album of songs carried by a combination of real and abstract memories, nuances and stories, displaying scenarios of cheerfulness, intimacy, and imagination. Cantar reveals the precious entangled connection of words and sounds, like words that come from far away, like melodies that come from the horizon to your ears, from deep within, from my heart to yours!
Cantar is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.
Luciana Souza appears courtesy of Sunnyside Records.