Pulled by the gravity of love, I was half a world away sitting on the warm sands of Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro at sunset. As the sun was just barely kissing the horizon, a sound washed over me, wafting up and down the beach like a murmuration of gentle seagulls – ebbing and returning. Magical. It was the sound of applause. That’s what the people of Rio de Janeiro do – they are so in the moment, so present and alive — that they applaud the setting sun. In that moment, in these five-seconds of bliss, I knew what it meant to be here. Breathing deeper – and free – like when we were children - wide open and absolutely, passionately present. This musical project has been all about trying to humbly express the essence of that five-second moment in time – a moment in time that continues to haunt me and tease me and challenge me. "Applauding The Sunset" brings new compositions to Brazil's most beloved rhythms such as Forro, Maracatu, Bossa Nova, of course Samba and the wonderful invention called MPB (musica popular brasileira) and pays tribute to the great composers of today's Brazil such as Ivan Lins, Guinga, Caetano Veloso and many others. This CD is also a document of my (now 8 year) attendance at the most concentrated gathering of highest level Brazilian musicians: California Brazil Camp ! My yearly attendance has widened my circle of Brazilian friends and has introduced me to a level of compositional depth and rhythmic power that I couldn't find anywhere else. May my gift to anyone who lets this music into their soul be remembered that we all are universal souls - that we are neither German, nor American, nor Brazilian - this is UNIVERSAL music, understood by every heart it comes in contact with.