Riccardo Crespo
Riccardo Crespo is a South Brazilian musician, singer and songwriter who plays both acoustic guitar and harmonica. He performs as a solo artist and with his group "Sol Brasil".
Before coming to New Orleans in 1999, Riccardo enjoyed a highly successful career in Brazil. He has performed extensively throughout Europe and the United States and returns to his homeland annually for inspiration and to enrich his musical soul.
Riccardo Crespo has released three compact discs. The first independent CD, "Riccardo Crespo", was released in Brasil in 1995 to great musical acclaim.
Crespo's second CD "Do Rio Camaqua ao Rio Mississippi", from the Camaqua River to the Mississippi River, was recorded in New Orleans and was released in 2000. This recording continues to be in great demand both domestic and internationally.
Riccardo's third and most recent CD entitled "Milonga di NOLA", "Milonga of New Orleans" was released in New Orleans in April of 2008. The music traces his roots as artist in Brazil and honors his adopted city, New Orleans.
Riccardo's original compositions are a rich but gentle mix of MPB or Musica Popular Brasileira and contain elements of Folk, Bossa Nova and Latin Music. The result is a beautiful blend of "World Music", that is both distinctive and passionate. Riccardo's lyrics speak eloquently about feelings of love and relationships. Sometimes he recalls his life experiences as a "Gaucho" from Camaqua City, Riccardo´s native home in South Brazil.
In New Orleans, he has performed at some of the finest jazz clubs in the city including Snug Harbor, the Blue Nile, and the House of Blues. He performs for many private functions throughout the year in and around the New Orleans area.
Riccardo was a featured artist at the 2001, 2003 and most recently at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For the past seven years, he has performed with his ensemble Sol Brasil in the annual New Orleans French Quarter Festival.
Outside New Orleans, Riccardo has performed in New York City, Baltimore, Washington D.C., the Charleston area with extensive engagements throughout the Gulf Coast region.
In May of 2005, Riccardo embarked on a three month summer tour of Scandinavia and Western Europe. His scheduled return to New Orleans was abruptly interrupted when Hurricane Katrina stuck on August 29th. Unable to return to the city he loved, Riccardo soon learned that all of his earthly possessions were destroyed by the storm's ravage. He decided to remain in Europe for an additional three months until the end of November 2005. With a heavy heart, Riccardo extended his tour to include performances throughout England and Spain. Upon a brief return to New Orleans in the Fall of 2005, Riccardo was overwhelmed with sadness and decided to travel home to Brazil to renew his spirit. After much soul-searching, Riccardo, still longing for New Orleans, returned to the Crescent City in March of 2006 to restart his musical career and commit to the rebuilding process of his adopted city.
Singing in Portuguese, Riccardo knows how to connect intensively with his audience. He enjoys performing his own musical compositions as well as popular Brazilian music by Tom Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Milton Nascimento and others.
The music of Riccardo Crespo has left a musical imprint on the city of New Orleans, and the city of New Orleans remains dear to Riccardo's heart. Now more than ever, audiences can appreciate the essence of Brazil through the magic of Riccardo's music performed in traditional Brazilian style.
DISCOGRAPHY
* 1st CD - RICARDO CRESPO, released in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, 1994.
* 2nd CD - DO RIO CAMAQUA AO RIO MISSISSIPPI, released in New Orleans, LA, USA, 2000.
* 3rd CD - MILONGA OF NEW ORLEANS, released in New Orleans, LA, USA, 2008.
MUSICIANS
JESSE REEKS: Piano and Accordion
NATHAN LAMBERTSON: Bass
RICK SEBASTIEN: Drums
REX GREGORY: Sax Soprano
LULU GONZALEZ: Violin and Viola