User:Ricardo Werther

Ricardo Werther is a Brazilian blues, soul & jazz singer.

BIOGRAPHY

Ricardo’s musical history begins with his grandparents, who were violin and cello players in soirées and churches, which introduced him to classical music. Over the years, he was introduced to jazz by his father, Mario Werther who was a renowned musicologist, jazz enthusiast and would broadcast on radio programs and events around the country in the 50’s and 60’s. Ricardo learned to admire the musicality of masters the likes of Miles, Coltrane, Monk, Mingus, Gillespie and singers like Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams, Mel Tormè and Jimmy Witherspoon.

His relations with many musicians at the end of the 80’s drew Ricardo’s attention to Chicago blues and the blues/rock from the 60’s and 70’s. He ended up putting a band together called Big Allanbik in 1992, and subsequently released four albums which took off nationally and internationally. This eventually led to the Big Allanbik being the first Brazilian blues band to tour in the US. There, he performed in renowned clubs such as the Blue Note in New York, Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago and Tobacco Road in Miami, opening for blues legends such as Duke Robillard and Lonnie Brooks.

In Brazil, Ricardo has performed in top venues like the Metropolitan in Rio and The Palace in São Paulo. He took part in one of the most important festivals in the country with worldwide renowned stars like B.B. King, Steve Winwood, Robert Cray and Eric Burdon. Together with Johnny Rivers, he sang for an audience of 70,000 people in Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo.

With all that, Ricardo Werther is considered to be, to this day, by public and critics, one of the most important singers in this country.

'THE TURNING POINT' SOLO ALBUM

‘The Turning Point’ is eagerly awaited by public and critics, for it represent many concepts that differ from recent standards. Ricardo spent the six months that preceded the recording of this album on an intense historical research of the repertoire, selecting most from old vinyl 45’s from the 60’s and 70’s, amassing a unique and absolutely enticing set of soul/blues. The versions of the songs sound modern and original, with an unusual musical concept, to say the least.

In ‘The Turning Point’, Ricardo mixed the sonority of a jazz piano with electric guitar and blues slide, combined with a rhythm section – made up of two drums – dipped into the ‘soul groove’ of the 60’s and 70’s. In order to do that, he secured two of the greatest blues drummers in activity in Brazil for the project: Beto Werther (former Big Allanbik) and Pedro Strasser (Blues Etílicos), totally integrated and responsible for the left and right channels of the drums, respectively. To complete the super team of musicians, Ricardo was accompanied by Ugo Perrotta on bass (former Big Allanbik), Otávio Rocha on electric guitar (Blues Etílicos), in addition to Marco Tommaso, one of the greatest contemporary pianists to appear on the Rio de Janeiro jazz scene.

‘The Turning Point’ can’t be considered strictly a blues, jazz or soul album. It’s in fact, an interpreter’s album. By a singer who possesses unique competence for following these different paths, without losing his essence which has forged him over the years.