Funky Sonatas: Rachmaninoff, Piazzolla and other classics in dialogue with Latin jazz
A wonderful milestone to see the album featured in one of Argentina’s most prestigious magazines and online platforms dedicated to classical and crossover music. ON MUSICA CLASICA BA
Funky Sonatas: the new album by Alex Sino and Terry Heimat offers fresh interpretations of works by Rachmaninoff, Piazzolla, Morricone, Gato Barbieri, and Lalo Schifrin. Pianist Svetlana Smolina participates in “Rachmaninoff en Ritmo,” a unique duel between two pianos alongside Milton Salcedo.
The album combines the sophistication of classical music with the energy of jazz , Latin rhythms and contemporary production, transforming iconic works into new interpretations.
Funky Sonatas thus proposes an encounter between different musical languages, with the intention of preserving the identity of the original composers while incorporating new rhythms, colors and forms of interpretation.
Musicand sound
“Rachmaninoff in Rhythm”: a duel between two pianos
The first single from Funky Sonatas is “Rachmaninoff en Ritmo” , starring Svetlana Smolina and Milton Salcedo .
The proposal uses the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff to bring together two ways of understanding the piano: the expansive and romantic universe of the Russian repertoire and the rhythmic energy and improvisational freedom of Latin jazz.
On one side, the international pianist Svetlana Smolina , associated with the virtuosity and language of Russian Romanticism. On the other, the pianist, composer, and arranger Milton Salcedo , who brings the rhythmic fire of Latin jazz.
“Rachmaninoff en Ritmo” , with Svetlana Smolina and Milton Salcedo, serves as one of the main gateways to the project: an encounter between Rachmaninoff's romantic piano and the rhythmic energy of Latin jazz.
Svetlana Smolina, piano
The piano part is performed by Dr. Svetlana Smolina, a recipient of the “New Names” scholarship program. She holds a DMA from the University of Michigan, as well as postgraduate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and artist diplomas from institutions such as Indiana University South Bend, Oberlin Conservatory, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and Balakirev Music College.
Pianosand keyboards
Throughout his career he performed with orchestras such as the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de France, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the New Florida Philharmonic, the Shreveport Symphony and the New York Chamber Orchestra.
He also performed at venues and festivals such as Carnegie Hall, Salzburg Festival, Hollywood Bowl, Ravinia Rising Stars, White Nights, Maggio Musicale, Mikkeli, Ruhr, Easter, Rotterdam, Phillips Gergiev, International Gilmore and Settimane Musicali di Stresa, among others.
Svetlana Smolina was previously interviewed by Música Clásica Buenos Aires.
Milton Salcedo, piano and keyboards
The project also features Colombian-American pianist, composer and arranger Milton Salcedo, a Grammy winner.
From a young age, he was influenced by the Latin music scene. Throughout his career, he worked, arranged, and composed for artists such as Néstor Torres, Juan Gabriel, Diego Torres, Olga Tañón, Antonio Arnedo, Elvis Crespo, Carlos Santana, Ismael Miranda, Amaury Gutiérrez, Andrés Cabas, Alejandro Fernández, Plácido Domingo, Rocío Dúrcal, Luis Enrique, Natalia Jiménez, and John Secada, among many others.
A meeting between two worlds
Funky Sonatas brings together musicians from different traditions to explore new possibilities based on works from the classical repertoire and popular music.
Musicclassic
In addition to Smolina and Salcedo, the following participate: Ed Calle (saxophone), Francis Goya (guitar), Alex Sino (guitar), David Pastor (trumpet), Alex Alexander (drums and percussion), Mario Rodriguez (bass and double bass), “Fafa” Valencia (bass), Mario Parmisano (piano), Liza Kenia and Rayko B. (vocals), Kostia Lucky (violin), Denis Dmitriev (cello) and Terry Heimat (trumpet).
The art direction, additional music, and lyrics for the compositions were created by Terry Heimat and Alex Sino .
More than a conventional fusion, Funky Sonatas proposes a dialogue between languages: each instrument and each tradition retains its identity while finding new ways to relate to the others.
