It's Tin Pan Alley goes to Rio, it's Big Band Bossa Nova Philharmonic.

13 MP3 Songs
EASY LISTENING: Crooners/Vocals, JAZZ: Bossa Nova



Details:
Rick Barden was born in Austin Texas in 1951, and has lived there for all but three years of his life,when he lived in San Francisco. From birth he was always surrounded by music. His parents met in the Light Opera Company at the University of Texas. His father was encouraged by his voice coach to pursue a singing career, and was very close to attending Julliard, but the grim reality of the Great Depression led him to the more practical profession of civil engineer, where he eventually became a national pioneering force in air pollution control. His musical interests
remained, and he took his son to see any of his favorites that happened to come to the Capital City of Texas,
such as Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. At home he would also play the records of Mel Torme, Frank Sinatra,
Louie Prima, and Tony Bennett.
Rick's mother, also a wonderful singer, was a virtuoso pianist. She did not pursue a professional musical career,
but shared her love of classical music and of classic popular songs. Her appreciation of great melodies made an
important impression on Rick and his big sister Nancy.
Nancy was not the typical Elvis loving teenager of the fifties. Although open to all styles, she leaned more toward Jazz and great vocal groups such as the Hi Lo's and the Four Freshmen, and great melodies and lyrics.
When Rick was eleven years old, she introduced him to a new release by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd called Jazz Samba. This was the album that brought Bossa Nova to America. The beautiful melodies, cool attitude, and fascinating chords made a lasting impression. Rick was soon singing Getz's sax lines on Desafinado note for note.
Then came the brilliant Beatles, and the genius of Brian Wilson with his Beach Boys, and the golden age of American pop-rock. Rick had been playing piano and guitar since age ten and writing songs since age twelve.
He had his first paying gig at age sixteen, and has been a working musician ever since, except for a couple of years
to finish college. Always having fun playing in dance bands, singing a wide variety of styles, he never stopped writing, and with his Eighties band, Third Language, was signed to a publishing deal with legendary songwriter
Barry Mann and his partner, wonderful standards singer, Steve Tyrell. They had songs in a couple of movies and on
television, but there were the not uncommon "artistic differences" and he left the band.
It was around this time that Rick happened upon a CD called The Legendary Joao Gilberto, which was a collection
of Gilberto's original Bossa Nova tracks from the late fifties. This was a revelation that changed everything. It brought him back to his true musical sensibilities.
The songs on the new CD, Rare Indigo, show a songwriter that has matured and has found his true voice. They reflect a unique combination of classic American songcraft, and the exotic, cool, jazz feel of Brazilian music.
Aided by LA studio hotshot, and his sister Nancy's son, Richard Davis, he has produced a work that was a long
time coming, but was definitely worth the wait.
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