Daniel Santiago
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | INDIE
Music
Press
“Daniel Santiago’s stunning fretwork - cascading, free flowing and ever shifting - is at the center of On The Way, the striking debut from the Brazilian guitarrist.”
- Philip Booth - Jazzis
On The Way - Daniel Santiago
Review
Although it weighs in at just over a half-hour, On the Way is an impressive solo debut from the Brazilian jazz guitarist Daniel Santiago. A member of mandolinist Hamilton de Holanda's quintet, the Rio-based Santiago, who plays acoustically, works here with bassist Andre Vasconcellos and drummer Marcio Bahia on a set of songs composed and arranged by Santiago; the guitarist also co-produced, along with de Holanda and Marcos Portinari. The album, reportedly cut over a mere few days without rehearsal, aims to showcase Santiago in a multitude of settings and spans a gamut of environments, skipping directly from the rhythmic and ebullient opener, "Viewpoint," to a pair of moodier, more relaxed pieces, the title track, and "Memory." Santiago's intuitive interactions with his musicians are never less than striking, while drummer Marcio Bahia, in particular, displays an acute sense of split-second timing, not only following Santiago's frequent rhythmic and melodic shifts with ease, but leading the guitarist into tributaries he might not otherwise have drifted. On "Tribute to Baden" (that would be Baden Powell, the revered Brazilian composer/musician), Santiago hints at flamenco with his bold flourishes, while "Homesick," which follows it, finds the guitarist repeating a looping, circular pattern that shapes into a trance-like ambience. Santiago is undeniably a technical wiz kid, but more importantly, his music leaves an emotional mark. - Jeff Tamarkin - All Music Guide
Hamilton de Holanda – Brasilianos 2 (Adventure Music – 2010)
The mandolin has barely evolved since its incarnation as a lute in Italy over three hundred years ago. A few more strings may have been added, so that there is now a ten-stringed version; tuning of these strings may have become more creative and different, but the instrument has remained essentially the same. Unlike the violin, its notes decay quicker after they are sounded and cannot usually be sustained after a point. But then you have musicians who are so taken by the instrument that they become virtuosos at it, like Mike Marshall. The mandolin takes a different path to glory at their hands. These musicians number quite a few—among them a long line ending in Fabio Machado. It was the Portuguese who brought the instrument to Brasil, where it has grown at the hands of a few stars. They are unique and hold a special place in the modern history of the instrument. Jacob do Bandolim enriched the choro. Deo Rian did much more of that as he followed Do Bandolim.
And now there is the tireless innovator, Hamilton de Holanda, a virtuoso mandolin player so audacious that he refuses to accept that plucked, stringed instruments cannot sound like bowed ones. So much so that he can make the sound of notes stand still in time using tremulous glissandos, slides and skids on the twin strings that he plucks—sometimes delicately and sometimes ferociously. The full extent of De Holanda’s precocious talent is on display on Brasilianos 2 a twin CD and DVD released on Adventure Music not too long ago. This album revels in De Holanda’s energy, which is boundless and infectious and he is surrounded with band mates who feed off it. There is percussionist, Marcio Bahia, who brings polyrhythmic colorations to every piece; guitarist Daniel Santiago, an awesome composer and innovator on his own right, but who plays the role of a reflecting pool here, adding alternate ripples to those created by De Holanda; André Vasconcellos, whose cavernous bellowing creates a harmonic depth for the music and Gabriel Grossi, who plays chromatic harmonica opening up a kind of fourth dimension to Hamilton de Holanda’s music.
De Holanda is a consummate musician whose compositions flavour choro, but are so open minded that they invite every shade of musical colour in. The resultant music is a blend of samba, maracatu, capoeira colours in an Amazonian riot of spring. De Holanda himself presides over this with Paganini-like virtuosity and all who will listen are left breathless. The music is sometimes linear, and, at other times, swerving and twisting—harmony around melody like a double helix. There is single, double, triangular and quadrangular counterpoint that enriches melodies, harmonies and rhythm to such an extent that song well nigh explodes with emotional depth.
The music is complex and challenging and often played at breakneck speed. This, of course, showcases De Holanda’s skill, although it is probably not intended to do so. From the opening samba, “Ano Bom” there is no looking back. The energy of that piece and “O Mundo Não Acabou” too is palpable. Just as virtuosity is De Holanda’s strong suit, so also is the emotion of song. He is able to capture this fully in his implied narratives, such as in “Desceu O Anjo,” “Tamanduá” and “Estrela Negra.” He is able to capture a dreamy surrealism in his more reflective work, such as “Virtude da Esperança” and “Amor Saudade Amor.” And then there is the softer side, where a more elegiac musician emerges. “Rafaela” is a timeless ballad in just this vein. Throughout every musical incarnation, De Holanda remains sensitive, phrasing with almost deliberate perfection, appropriate to tempo and emotion. His simpatico with percussionist, Bahia and the harmonica genius, Grossi is sublime, setting a new standard for listening, musical conversation and for raising the bar on contrapuntal elegance. “A Vida Tem Dessas Coisas” maybe the finest tribute anyone paid—consciously or unconsciously—to that other genius, Moacir Santos.
The DVD of a concert played in 2008 at Jazz Sous les Pommiers, in Coutances, France is quite a bonus. The only change to the ensemble is the absence of bassist, Vasconcellos, who is replaced by another wonderful bassist, Thiago Espiritu Santo, whose Jaco-like leaps and bounds fire the mandolin player and the rest of the band up to new levels of excellence. The track list is also slightly different from the CD and this provides a greater variety of songs from Hamilton de Holanda to enjoy.
The cinematography is excellent as is the sound quality of the recording. But it is the visual excellence—especially the close-up footage that fosters a new appreciation of De Holanda’s technique and virtuosity. Clearly also he is deeply entranced by the music he produces and this has a ripple effect not only on the musicians around him, but also on the audience. De Holanda’s stellar turn continues to astound on video as well. His marvellous co - Raul da Gama - Latin Jazz Network
This Ain't No Ukelele: Jazz Guitarists Anthony Wilson, Daniel Santiago and John Pondel
Daniel Santiago
Metropole
Adventure Music
2009
Daniel Santiago is also not one to take the fun out of playing the guitar, quite the contrary. Hailing from Brazil, Santiago favours a collegial approach to composition, putting his sizzling melodies through a dangerously nervous rhythmic machine and then toning it down to acoustic-set, pastoral vistas. But, as its title suggests, the idea behind Metropole is of conjuring up a bustling urban landscape, of vertically stacked harmonic-rhythmic structures with reserved pathways for zigzagging soloists. The listener comes out of the excursion alive, and longing for more.
A skilled technician and composer, Santiago shares conceptions of phrasing and tone with Pat Metheny. His winning tandem with saxophonist Josue Lopez is reminiscent of the Brazil-bound master's collaborations with saxophonist Michael Brecker. "Traveling" and "Miracle are two telling examples. His pensive "Children Of The War" calls to meditation in much the same way that Metheny's "Message To A Friend" did on the Beyond The Missouri Sky (Verve, 1997) project with bassist Charlie Haden. That said, this second outing reveals Santiago as a talented, maturing voice whose influences, though watermarked, are rapidly overlooked for the superior quality of its presentation. A name to reckon with. - Matin Gladu - All About Jazz
Discography
On The Way (2006) Adventure Music
by Jeff Tamarkin
Although it weighs in at just over a half-hour, On the Way is an impressive solo debut from the Brazilian jazz guitarist Daniel Santiago. A member of mandolinist Hamilton de Holanda's quintet, the Rio-based Santiago, who plays acoustically, works here with bassist Andre Vasconcellos and drummer Marcio Bahia on a set of songs composed and arranged by Santiago; the guitarist also co-produced, along with de Holanda and Marcos Portinari. The album, reportedly cut over a mere few days without rehearsal, aims to showcase Santiago in a multitude of settings and spans a gamut of environments, skipping directly from the rhythmic and ebullient opener, "Viewpoint," to a pair of moodier, more relaxed pieces, the title track, and "Memory." Santiago's intuitive interactions with his musicians are never less than striking, while drummer Marcio Bahia, in particular, displays an acute sense of split-second timing, not only following Santiago's frequent rhythmic and melodic shifts with ease, but leading the guitarist into tributaries he might not otherwise have drifted. On "Tribute to Baden" (that would be Baden Powell, the revered Brazilian composer/musician), Santiago hints at flamenco with his bold flourishes, while "Homesick," which follows it, finds the guitarist repeating a looping, circular pattern that shapes into a trance-like ambience. Santiago is undeniably a technical wiz kid, but more importantly, his music leaves an emotional mark.
Metropole (2009) Adventure Music / Rob Digital
by Raul da Gama
Daniel Santiago comes from a long and continuing line of renowned Brazilian guitarists. He has a lively and probing mind and the language of his guitar resonates with sparkling phrases, unusual syntax and an almost full-formed musical ideology. On Metropole, a thoughtful, questioning record, Santiago employs the distinct nature of being Brasileiro to explore his environment from a unique perspective: an urbane, worldly vision with a truly pastoral sensibility.
The music of Metropole is all about living in a contemporary world full of old colonial baggage, disturbance and conflict and a genuine concern for the future of humanity. This view, as the title of the record suggests, is one fraught with colonial and ecclesiastical overtones. Metropole in Portuguese colonial culture once referred to the European part of that colonial power. As Santiagos fingers play with gentle irony on the strings of his guitars, the idea translates into a brilliantly conceived colonized perspective. Now the song titles even the not-so-obvious ones reflect loaded thoughts. Here are three examples: Letter to the World, Children of War and Angolas Dance. The titles of other songs may be more suggestive, nevertheless they all work together to reflect the overall conception of the record. This is executed through well-crafted sound design and superior musicianship.
The music is densely textured. This appears to be deliberate and works well as the idea is to provoke thoughts using just sound, without words. It helps immensely that Santiago and his group is so in tune with what is required of the music that they seem to have an almost telepathic connection as far as tone is concerned. Further, the instrumental textures add an interesting and almost choral aspect to the music as individual voices express singular and plural aspects of the music. Interestingly from the rhythm-driven Brasilian musical point of view, the two drummers play perhaps the most important role in the music.
Both Márcio Bahia and Edu Ribeiro create a unique percussive coloration the magic carpet on which the music glides and slides as it moves in an ever-forward motion. The two men do not drum together but somehow each is able to create a dense Amazonian feel that swirls around the music. There is a constant ricka-ticka-rat-a-tat and more, a constant swish, splash and tempestuous working of the brass and bronze of the cymbals. The underlying rhythmic motifs are always samba, maracatú, xote and others both hidden and exposed. It is as if the drummers are speaking for the ancient trees in the Amazonian jungles of the real Brasil. What they say in turn is an actual reaction to the dissonant march of urban progress globally. The often-neglected rural cultures of Brasil are given unique squeeze room here to react through this wonderful and committed music group.
With the rhythmic bed created, Santiago with his electric and acoustic guitars, tenor and soprano saxophonist, Josue Lopez, pianist, Vitor Gonçalves and acoustic bassist, Guto Wirtti get to work, creating multi dimensional voices and choral music soundscapes. The record unfolds like a visual drama. Beginning with the song, Old City, there is an obvious reference to the cultured remains of the city, in urban conflict with the pull of time marching on without much reason. The odd and shifting rhythmic pulse keeps the t
Photos
Bio
Guitarrist, composer and arranger, Daniel Santiago was born in Brasilia on July, 1979 and had his first musical experience at seven, while studying at Escola de Música de Brasil.ia, thus being influenced by several music genres such as Choro, Rock, MPB , Jazz and Classical. He was nineteen when, together with Hamilton de Holanda and Rogerio Caetano, founded the Brasilia-Brasil Trio, releasing their first album, Abre Alas in 2001 by Velas Records. In the same year, he was nominated as best instrumentalist for the VISA AWARD.
In the following years he toured regularly in Brazil and abroad attending important festivals such as North Sea, Umbria and TIM, with artists like Carlos Malta, Gabriel Grossi and Hamilton de Holanda's BRASILIANOS QUINTET. The last one has been awarded as Best Instrumental Group by TIM Award in 2007, the most important award in Brazilian music and has been nominated to the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards along with Chick Corea and Bela Fleck as Best Instrumental Album.
Santiago also has worked with many great artists like Ivan Lins, Maria Bethania, Hermeto Pascoal, Djavan, Richard Galliano, John Paul Jones, Toninho Horta and Didier Lockwood, Seu Jorge, Ney Matogrosso, Guinga, Ed Motta, Pagode Jazz Sardinhas Club, Leo Gandelman and Garrafieira, among others.
In 2006 he releases his first solo album, "On The Way at Adventure Records, in the USA, with a great reception by the specialized media, such as Jazziz.
Metropole, followed in 2009, being released in the USA and in Brazil, enjoying an even better response by the critics.
In 2010 he composes the Monumental Symphony with Hamilton de Holanda, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the capital of Brazil, Brasilia.
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