Brazilian Footprints
Press reviews:
By: Brad Walseth - www.jazzchicago.net www.jazzchicago.net/reviews/2008/MaryFettig.html
This may be the most joyous and purely listenable recording of the year. Mary Fettig is an incredibly talented musician on the alto and soprano saxes and flute. The first female member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, The Bay Area–based Fettig has recorded with Kenton, Tito Puente, Marian McPartland, Flora Purim, Nnenna Freelon and many more, along with television and movie soundtrack work. On this her third recording as leader she has surrounded herself with an impressive group of musicians to help her achieve an exploration of Brazilian music that is melodic, but not loungey, exciting, but not at the expense of warping the basic beauty of the Brazilian sound. It just sounds good.
Covering some mostly lesser-known Brazilian standards ("No Balanco do Jequibau," "Jequie," "Neguinha," "Inspiracao na Esquina"), as well as some wonderful new original pieces written by keyboardist Marcos Silva and one by guitarist Chico Pinheiro, the results are lush and engaging. The musicianship is exceptional: Fettig, Silva, Pinheiro and amazing 6-string bassist Scott Thompson provide the solos, while Silva, Thompson, drummer Celso Alberti, Alex Calatayud and Micahel Spiro provide the rhythm base. With careful attention given to the very tasteful arrangements by the in-tune musicians and the clean recording by Bruce Mishkit, "Brazilian Footprints" is the musical equivalent of a stroll on the beach on a sunny day.
Claudio Roditi and Ricardo Silveira's "The Monster and the Flower" is also covered and is a highlight to end the album, but Silva's originals really shine as well. Fettig shows her skills throughout and is the centerpiece and primary melodic instrument, whether on shimmering sax or gracious flute. Thompson's bass explosions are a true treat, and special attention should be given to singer Claudia Villella, who combines the vocal timbre of the late great pop singer Karen Carpenter with a Latin free-floating wordless vocal take on Silva’s gorgeous "Waterfalls." But despite the wonderful playing throughout, the solos fir the context, and the true stars of the show are the songs themselves, which is how it should be anyway. Highly recommended for Brazilian Jazz fans or anyone looking to put a contented smile on their face.
By: Edward Blanco - ejazznews.com
ejazznews.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=9523&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
ejazznews.com
No question about this one, "Brazilian Footprints" is one of the best recordings of the year. Mary Fettig sculpts a monster recording of Brazilian rhythms that is also jazzy to the core, sure to guarantee many spins and draw critical acclaim from aficionados and jazz audiences everywhere.
Chris Spector - Midwest Record
www.midwestrecord.com/2008/05/30/053008/
MARY FETTIG/Brazilian Footprints: At home on sax and flute, Fettig's chops have taken her on a long, satisfying journey from Stan Kenton to film work to her own work. Literally having played everything with everybody, she now points her flute to her love of Brazilian music and brings it home with all the slow burning heat and none of the cliches. One of those sets that easily walks the line between tasty and tasteful, this is what upscale jazz should look to if it wants to get it right.(F Major)
John Book - The Run Off Groove
therunoffgroove.blogspot.com/2008/06/run-off-groove-207.html
Mary Fettig has been a musician for most of her life, always presenting herself in fine form, and on Brazilian Footprints (F Major) she gets to show her love of the samba and bossa nova through her work on the flute and saxophone.
Daniella Thompson on Brazil
daniv.blogspot.com/2008/06/fettig-factor-mary-fettig-releases.html
Radio play:
KCSM-SF bay area, CA
KKJZ-Long Beach//Los Angeles, CA
KCRW-Los Angeles
KCRW- Santa Monica, CA
KXJZ-Sacramento, CA
KUSP-Santa Cruz/San Jose, CA
KRML-Carmel, CA
KFSR-Fresno, CA
WXRT-Chicago
WIIT-Chicago, IL
WUMR-Memphis, TN
WDNA-Miami, FL
WUCF-Orlando, FL
WUSF-Tampa, FL
WUWF-Pensacola, FL
WYPR-Baltimore, MD
WGTE-Detroit, MI
WAMC-Albany, NY
WDCE- Richmond, VA
KUVO-Denver, CO
KSVR-Mt. Vernon, WA
WRUW-Cleveland, OH
WCLV/WRMR-Cleveland, OH
WCPN-Cleveland, OH
WWSP-Stevens Pt., WI
WSIE-St. Louis, MO
WTEB/WKNS-Greenville - New Bern - Jacksonville, NC
WFDD- Winston-Salem, NC
WFPK- Louisville, KY
WNCU- Durham, NC
WTEB/WKNS-Greenville, NC
M3 Radio (online radio)
Jazz After Hours w/Jim Wilke
"Jazz & Blues Tour" Radio in The Netherlands
Radioio Jazz - all 10 tracks into rotation on their Real Jazz channel
Nationally syndicated Jazz with Bob Parlocha (top 40 list)
AOL Music online
Brown Radio syndicated
Georgia Public Radio syndicated
KUNV-Las Vegas
Radio Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
WRTU, Puerto Rico
CHUO-Ottawa, Ontario
CILU-Thunder Bay, Ontario
CHSR Fredericton NB Canada
CSCR-Scarsborough, Ontario
KAFM-Grand Junction, CO
KUNC- Greeley, CO
KSUT-Ignacio, CO
KSVR-Mt. Vernon, WA
KTUH-Honolulu
KWLC-Decorah, IA
WUPX-Marquette, MI
Radio Adelaide - Adelaide Australia
KHID McAllen - Brownsville - Harlingen, TX
WGVU-Grand Rapids, MI
WRPI - Albany - Schenectady - Troy, NY
WHUS-Storrs, CT
WRTC – Hartford, CT
WWUH- W. Hartford, CT
KANU- Lawrence, KS
KASU- State University, AR
KABF-Little Rock
KLCC-Eugene, OR
KSDS-San Diego, CA
WUCF-Orlando
KBUT-Crested Butte, CO
WCLK-Atlanta, GA
WJAB-Huntsville, AL
KKFI-Kansas City, MO
WEMU-Ypsilanti, MI
WPTC-Williamsport, PA
WWUH-Hartford
KEOL-La Grande, OR
KOPN-Columbia, MO
WFWM-Frostburg, MD
KMXT-Kodiak, AK
WYBF-Radford, PA
KUER-Salt Lake City
WUSF-Tampa
KEWU-Spokane, WA
WCMU-Saginaw - Bay City - Midland, MI
WGVU- Grand Rapids, MI
WJAB- Normal, AL
WJSU- Jackson, MS
WGBH-Boston
WWSP-Stevens Point, WI
WMUA- Amherst, MA
WMEB-Orono, Maine
CFUV-Victoria
CHSR-Fredericton NB
CSCR-Scarborough, ON
KEUL- Girdwood, AK
KHNS- Haines, AK
KRFP- Moscow, ID
KRZA- Alamosa, CO
KSJD- Mancos, CO
KVNF- Paonia, CO
WBZC- Pemberton, NJ
WERU- East Orland, ME
WFWM- Frostburg, MD
KTAO- Taos, NM
WHUS- Storrs, CT
WMEB- Orono, ME
WMHB- Waterville, ME
WMPG- Portland, ME
WNMC- Traverse City, MI
WCMU- Mt. Pleasant, MI
WPTC- Williamsport, PA
WTJU- Charlottesville, VA
WVIA- Pittston, PA
WVUD- Newark, DE
WYBF- Radnor, PA
WUGA- Athens, GA
WACG- Augusta, GA
WSVH- Savannah, GA
KBEM- Minneapolis, MN
KMBH/KHID- Harlingen, TX
KPLU- Seattle/Tacoma, WA
KUER- Salt Lake City, UT
WESM- Princess Anne, MD
WUTC-Chattanooga, TN
WMNF-Tampa/St. Petersburg
WXDU-Durham, NC
WCFM-Williamstown, MA
WHCJ-Savannah, GA
KIOS-Omaha
WSHA-Raleigh
WCBE-Columbus
KWCW-Walla Walla, WA
WEAA Baltimore
WAER-Syracuse