Join Brazilian-American singer/songwriter Carla Hassett on a musical journey, as she searches for home on her new CD, +Blue On her latest CD, +Blue (call it “more blue”) singer/songwriter Carla Hassett explores the meaning of “home” and the complexities of growing up between two countries and cultures: her birthplace, Brazil, and her adopted country, the U.S. The cycle of 10 songs, including seven originals, spans genres ranging from samba to funk to world music to baião to rock to tropicalia to jazz. Regardless of the style, you can count on Hassett to put her own unique stamp on each tune. There’s no mystery to the source of Hassett’s musical versatility. The São Paulo-born virtuoso grew up in a Brazilian community in Chicago, studying piano and guitar from an early age, and writing and recording her own tunes on her father’s reel-to-reel before she hit her teens. Besides absorbing the Brazilian music her parents and extended family enjoyed listening to at home, Hassett soaked up rock, blues, funk and all of the other sounds popular in the Windy City. It wasn’t long before she turned pro, playing and singing with Chicago bands and lending her voice to jingles for national advertising campaigns. Hassett moved to Los Angeles and built a career singing backup on tour and in the recording studio with the likes of Billy Idol, Sergio Mendes, Gino Vannelli, actor/musician Gary Sinise, Grammy award-winning soul legend Solomon Burke, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, Mike Patton, and a bevy of Latin music superstars. Hassett appeared with Lila Downs, Natalie Cole, and sang for Caetano Veloso when he was honored at the Latin Grammys. Hassett also lent her voice to the movie soundtracks of Rio and Rio 2. She studied at Chicago’s Sherwood Conservatory and Berklee College of Music, and is now on the faculty of Silverlake Conservatory of Music. Among her influences, Hassett cites Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Baden Powell, Vinícius de Moraes, and her “patron saint” Carmen Miranda, as well as Fleetwood Mac, Bill Withers, and Aretha Franklin. On her fourth recording, +Blue, Hassett’s search for home through song is bookended by the funky rock anthem “We Belong Here” and “South American Way,” a tune immortalized by the legendary Carmen Miranda. Hassett makes the Jimmy McHugh/Al Dubin-penned classic her own, taking it at a sultry tempo and delivering a slightly sad but totally engaging study of homesickness. Among the high points in between are: Hassett’s understated and bittersweet take on Caetano Veloso’s “A Little More Blue,” an autobiographical composition that was the inspiration for the album’s concept and title. “Pois É E Tal,” which demonstrates that samba + funk = a great contemporary R&B feel full of leisurely tension. Hassett is joined by Thalma de Freitas on vocals—the Brazilian star is renowned both as the lead singer for Orquestra Imperial and for her role on a popular soap opera. Hassett plays guitar as well as sings on “Guerreira Vai,” its old-school funky intro yielding to a hip-hop lyrical treatment and layered vocals. An accordion solo by Bill Brendle adds an extra dash of spice to the mix. The bossa nova-flavored “Sem Calor” details Hassett’s travails of living in a cold clime while longing for the heat of the tropics. “Sangue Da Terra,” which translates to “blood of the land,” is a sensuous Afro-samba. While recording +Blue and reflecting on the complexities of leaving where you came from, Hassett arrived at the conclusion that where you land is where you belong. This strong new offering from the singer/songwriter and longtime backup vocalist should help Hassett travel those 20 feet to stardom and land her in the spotlight where she belongs. On +Blue, Hassett is accompanied by a dynamic contingent of Brazilian and American musicians, including guitarist João Pedro Mourão (Keiko Matsui), bassist Andre de Santanna (Sergio Mendes), drummer Leonardo Costa (Sergio Mendes, Bebel Gilberto), percussionist Gibi (Sergio Mendes, Airto Moreira, Kanye West, Enrique Iglesias, Giovanni Hidalgo); trumpeter Chris Bautista (Tenacious D, John Cale, Everlast, Minnie Driver), percussionist Felipe Fraga (Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Janelle Monae), saxophonist Wes Smith, trombonist JP Floyd, and others. CARLA HASSETT/+ Blue: A Brazilian singer that’s been delivering the goods in the background for more years that anyone would care to think about, she’s one of those pure muso types that can handle anything from jingles to deep soul and do it all on the natch. Making her 4th album a big, bold statement bursting with energy and emotion, Hassett is no mere Astrid Gilberto wannabe, she’s the real deal all on her own terms. A smoking South American set that can’t be pinned down but isn’t all over the place, this is contemporary music from another place that simply hits all the right notes throughout. Killer stuff. CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher JAZZ IS MUSIC WITH FREEDOM & ZEST FOR LIFE May 31, 2016 CARLA HASSETT – “+ BLUE” Paulista Records There is something soothing about Brazilian jazz. It puts me in a mellow mood and fills my spirit with joy. Carla Bassett brings us a package of delightful, original music sung in Portuguese and English, intermittently. Her vocals are pleasant, light, sweet and fresh as Açaí na tigela or whipped cream on mango. What’s really impressive are her composition skills. Hassett’s songs sound like Brazilian Standards. “Forté” is a melancholy ballad with a rhythmic undertone of guitar and percussion. It’s lovely with a melody I begin to sing along with as though it was a familiar song on the radio. Hassett knows how to create a ‘hook’ to her tunes; one that lingers at the end of each song production in repetitious beauty. She plants the melody in your brain like a fruitful seed. This talented composer has written seven out of ten songs on this CD and they are each well-written and pleasantly produced. Cut #2, “Pois É E Tal” is full of spunk and spice, inviting me to dance around the room without inhibition. On this song, Hassett is joined by Thalma de Freitas on vocals. Freitas is a Brazilian star renowned as the lead singer for Orquestra Imperial, as well as for her role on a popular soap opera. Hassett is also a proficient guitarist and plays as well as sings on one of her compositions, “Guerreira Vai” , that features a rich accordion solo by Bill Brendie. Carla Hassett has cut several different recording sessions, adding musicians and musical instruments as she goes to accentuate her arrangements. Here is an album of world music that inspires gladness and introduces us to a charming singer with an admirable composition and arrangement proficiency.