CD-Single of the Month - "Hugo Fattoruso & Albana Barrocas: HA Duo"

CD-Single of the Month
Hugo Fattoruso & Albana Barrocas: "HA Duo" (Sondor)

Featuring: Hugo Fattoruso (composer, keyboards, vocals), Albana Barrocas (drums, percussion)

Produced by Hugo Fattoruso
Engineered by Gustavo De León

The newest project by the "multi-dimensional" keyboard genius Hugo Fattoruso, the "HA Duo" formed with fellow Uruguayan drummer-percussionist Albana Barrocas, debuts with a CD-single that includes two great compositions by Fattoruso: "La Caricia" and "Destinos Cruzados." These and other new tunes will be performed by the "increible" duo this next Saturday, June 1st, at Teatro Casa de la Cultura de Maldonado (see the poster below, please) in a concert organized by Alternativa Producciones.

Internationally acclaimed as the founder of such groups as OPA, Los Shakers and Trio Fattoruso -- as well as for his work in countless albums with Airto Moreira (starting in 1973 with the legendary "Fingers" for CTI) and Flora Purim --, Hugo Fattoruso was a key member (sorry for the pun!) of the LA fusion jazz scene of the 70s, having also recorded with Hermeto Pascoal, Manolo Badrena, Jaco Pastorius, Milton Nascimento, Toninho Horta, Maria de Fatima Fattoruso and The Sweet Inspirations, among others. Besides the cult hits he composed for Airto (two of them, "Romance of Death" and "Wind Chant" were also covered by Harris Simon with Michael Brecker), Hugo co-wrote -- with Osvaldo Fattoruso, Michel Colombier and Nicole Croisille -- a pop radio hit for Flora, "Walking Away."

He moved to Brazil in 1981, joining the bands led by pop stars Chico Buarque, Djavan, Geraldo Azevedo and Milton Nascimento, and recording with Mauro Senise, Yana Purim, Fagner and Luiz Melodia, but returned to his native Uruguay in 1989, becoming a much in-demand keyboardist on the studio scene, recording with such singers as Jaime Roos and Laura Canoura. After a short time in NY, working with Hiram Bullock and Ruben Rada, Hugo once again settled in Montevideo, but keeps traveling all over the world, developing multiple projects with singers Ruben Rada, Pippo Spera, Fito Paez, Pedro Aznar and Jorge Drexler, the Rey Tambor candombe group and Japanese percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro.

[I feel proud for having convinced Milestone/Fantasy to allow me to produce the twofer CD reissue of Opa's albums originally produced by Airto. Both "Goldenwings" and "Magic Time" are superb! IMHO, Hugo Fattoruso, one of the all-time greatest keyboardists, is a genius whose "creativity in the choice of electronic textures and colors was matched only by Joe Zawinul", like I wrote in my liner notes for the CD, back in 1997. And I feel privileged for the chance of having worked with Hugo Fattoruso on albums & live concerts by Yana Purim (from 1981 to 1986), Nelson Angelo (in 1998) and, currently, Rodrigo Lima. I have also included several tracks from Hugo's projects with Airto & Flora in compilations I produced for CTI ("CTI Acid Jazz Grooves") and Verve ("A Trip To Brazil Vol.2"), as well as to feature his recording of "Brejo da Cruz" with Chico Buarque on "A Trip To Brazil Vol.4" in 2005.]

Albana Barrocas started to learn music at age 8, studying piano, harmony and singing. Later on, she fall in love with drums, and her teachers included Irving Carvallo, Gonzalo Farrugia and Hugo's brother Osvaldo Fattoruso (1948-2012), the drummer on both Los Shakers and OPA. She took part in such bands as Distorición Alternativa, Metalmorfosis, S.H.O.C.K., Kirlian, In-Sector, Aqueronte, Coral, Magikasoul and Nucleo Urbano. Now it's time for the HA Duo.

The next concert: