(Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova) Roseanna Vitro - Tropical Postcards - 2007, MP3, 320

Roseanna is her own person when choosing and developing new projects, with her Grammy Nominated Band featuring Mark Soskin, piano, Sara Caswell, violin, Dean Johnson, bass and on drums, Tim Horner.
“Clarity, The Music of Clare Fischer”
Many thanks to Brent and Donna Fischer for their help with the in depth study of the master and his music. More information soon.
In 2011, Roseanna joined the Motéma Music label and released, “The Music of Randy Newman” which earned a Grammy Nomination in the Vocal Jazz category. The Newman project featured re-imagined Randy Newman songs, arranged by pianist Mark Soskin,featuring Sara Caswell on violin, Dean Johnson bass & Tim Horner drums. (guitar sweetening- Steve Cardenas & percussion and four drum tracks Jamey Haddad)
Having toured the world as an esteemed performer, clinician, recording artist, vocal instructor and ambassador, she has proven herself a reigning member of the jazz community. Her collaborations, covering a wide range of music and stylistic directions, have been cited and celebrated, far and wide.
Roseanna is a soulful communicator, showcasing a thirst for swinging hard and possessing an ear for melodic invention. Her strengths include rhythmic acuity and free-spirited spontaneity, often heard in her improvisations, using both scat syllables and lyrics.
Ms. Vitro’s signature energy and grace can be heard on a host of recordings, notable among them, her breakout recording on Telarc (Passion Dance), which featuredElvin Jones, Christian McBride and longtime musical partner, Kenny Werner, and compelling tributes to Ray Charles (Catchin’ Some Rays), Bill Evans (Conviction), and Brazil (Tropical Postcards), The Delirium Blues Project: Serve or Suffer on Half Note Records, 2008- is a live, blues-based recording of jazz and pop repertoire featuring Kenny Werner’s arrangements and an all-star band of Kenny Werner, James Carter, Randy Brecker, Ray Anderson, Adam Rogers, John Patitucci, Rocky Bryant, Geoff Countryman.
Her band mates – on stage and in the studio – have included Kenny Werner, Fred Hersch, George Coleman, ‘Fathead Newman,’ Eddie Gomez, Arnett Cobb, Elvin Jones, Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, Eddie Daniels, Joey Baron, Al Foster, Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, Ben Riley, Allen Farnham, Dean Johnson, Tim Horner, Mark Soskin, Sara Caswell, Randy Brecker, Ray Anderson, Adam Rogers, John Patitucci.
Having served as an official Jazz Ambassador, sponsored in 2009 by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department and in 2004 by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the U.S. State Department, she has presented concerts and workshops around the world. Her celebrated performance in the Jazzaar 2010 – The Aargau Youth Pops Orchestra playing The Great American Songbook, (arranged by Bob Freedman – and Kevin Field conductor in Aarau, Switzerland will be aired on Swiss PBS Concert Series in 2011. The Maribor Philharmonic in Slovenia was a televised Christmas ‘Special’ in Eastern Europe in 2001 . Her studies of Indian vocal technique are documented in an article, “From Bebop To Bombay,” heralded by theInternational Association For Jazz Education Magazine.
Given her lifelong commitment to the art of jazz singing – exemplified by her myriad of achievements on the bandstand, in the studio, and in classrooms fronting jazz’s next generation – Roseanna displays a heart and a soul rare by any standards. She is a consummate artist whose professional outreach improves us all.

Tropical Postcards isn't the first time that Roseanna Vitro has embraced Brazilian jazz; over the years, the expressive vocalist has recorded some Brazilian songs here and there. However, Tropical Postcards is the first time that Brazilian jazz has seriously dominated one of her albums, and it is also among her best, most inspired and memorable projects. Vitro doesn't embrace Brazilian jazz exclusively on Tropical Postcards; she gets away from the album's Brazilian theme on McCoy Tyner's "In Search of My Heart" (which favors more of a modal/Indian/Middle Eastern ambience) and Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You." Nonetheless, Brazilian jazz is the album's primary direction, and that theme serves Vitro impressively well whether she is tackling Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" and two Milton Nascimento songs ("Cravo e Canela" and "Certas Cancoes") or providing a bossa nova interpretation of the standard "I'll Be Seeing You."
Thankfully, Tropical Postcards doesn't have an all-standards-all-the-time policy; Vitro, much to her credit, isn't afraid to offer some surprises when it comes to selecting material. "Wave," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "I Remember You" have been recorded countless times, but Vitro -- true to form -- also surprises us with some gems that jazz vocalists haven't paid nearly as much attention to, including Tom Harrell's "Terrestris" and Ivan Lins' "I Just Need Your Kisses." Clearly, Vitro is smart enough to realize that a song doesn't have to be a Tin Pan Alley warhorse to have value, and she knows how important it is for a jazz vocalist to put his/her stamp on some lesser known pearls. Tropical Postcards is an excellent addition to Vitro's catalog.(Alex Henderson)

Roseanna Vitro (vocals)
Dean Johnson , Nilson Matta, Robert E. Bowen (bass instrument)
Tom Lellis (vocals)
Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar)
Chieli Minucci (guitar, electric guitar)
Don Braden, Joe Lovano (saxophone)
Kenny Werner (piano)
Duduka Da Fonseca, Cecil Brooks III (drums)
Mino Cinelu (percussion)
Trio da Paz