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Roberto Perera
“The Paraguayan harp was considered an instrument merely to play folk music,” says Perera His complex technique includes precisely bending the strings to create sharps and flats while gliding across the harp in a seemingly effortless fashion, giving little indication of the tremendous skill and discipline that’s needed. His transformation of this humble, hand-crafted harp from its folk origins into one of contemporary instrumental music’s most commanding voices has been nothing short of magical. His professional career, however, did not begin until 1973. After completing his course of musical studies, Perera moved to the United States in search of a wider musical opportunities. Perera’s
point of entry was New York City where, he paid his dues before moving south to
Florida. Miami had a burgeoning Latin music scene at the time, and Roberto
quickly gained status as one of the hotter musicians around town.
By the time his self-produced debut, Erotica,
was released by Epic Records in 1990 (re-released by Heads Up in 1997), Perera
had already earned a reputation as a pioneer of the electro-acoustic harp. Perera
began his association with Heads Up International in 1991 with the release of Passions,
Illusions & Fantasies, an album which garnered overwhelming critical
acclaim throughout the Americas and Europe. The following year Perera captured Billboard’s
first ever “Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year” award for Dreams
& Desires.
1993 saw the release of Christmas Fantasies, which
Hispanic Magazine called “easily one
of the best Christmas themes in years.”
On his three subsequent releases for Heads Up ¾
Seduction (1994), Harp & Soul (1996) and In
the Mood (2000), Perera continued to explore the lush musical landscapes
which earned him Jazziz honors as
“Favorite Jazz Artist” in his category on numerous occasions. “My
goal has always been to approach the harp in an unorthodox manner ¾
to stylistically play ideas not normally associated with the instrument,”
Perera says. In fact, his progressive approach to music was evident at an early
age. “About
the time I started playing harp, the Beatles were very popular. I listened to a
lot of Brazilian music, pop from the U.S., tango and folk music.
What I really liked was the folk music from Paraguay and soon started
mixing, using the techniques of folk music to play Beatles tunes.” Perera’s
music consists largely of change: changing and combining musical types, rapidly
shifting rhythms and creating a unique blend that is both exotic and
irresistible. His latest recording, Sensual,
is no exception. Among the album’s highlights are the flamenco-flavored “Un
Beso,” an exquisite instrumental version of the Omar Alfanno (Son By Four)
mega-hit, “A Puro Dolor,” featuring the smooth stylings of piano master Raul
Di Blasio, and the classic “Gracias a La Vida,” a stunning duet with salsero
icon Luis Enrique. “This
is it!” exclaimed Roberto when talking about the new recording. “We spent
over four months in the studio and it was the first time I have ever spent so
much time making an album, choosing all the best players, and perfecting the
arrangements.” With the release of Sensual,
Perera has elevated his art to a new level, where passion and power merge into
his most seductive and enchanting album ever. Discography
Passions,
Ilusions & Fantasies (OXCD 3013) Dreams and Desires (OXCD
3018) Seduction (HUCD 3030) Erotica (HUCD 3041) Christmas Fantasies (HUCD
3024) Harp & Soul (HUCD
3036) In the Mood (HUCD 3049) Sensual (HUCD 3066)
23309 Commerce Park Road Cleveland, Ohio
44122 USA 216.765.7381 VOX
216.464.6037 FAX headsup@headsup.com http://headsup.com Award Winning Latin Pop Instrumentalist Roberto
Perera Gets Sensual on
His latest Heads Up Recording Roberto Perera, the musical innovator who first introduced the jazz and pop world to the Paraguayan harp, combines a wide range of Latin American rhythms and contemporary jazz textures on Sensual (enhanced CD HUCD 3066). His latest Heads Up recording is slated for worldwide release on March 26th, 2002. As usual, Perera finds himself in great company. Sensual was produced by the Florida keyboardist/arranger Michael Levine (co-producer of the platinum recording by Raul Di Blasio, Piano de America, Vol. 2). Musically, Perera crosses many boundaries as he draws from both hemispheres, from “Un Beso”’s rumba/flamenca/cumbia encounter to “Cruising Leblon”’s exotic Brazilian/Paraguayan convergence. “Tormenta De Arena” ripples with the textures of the Middle East while “El Coqui Salsero” draws from the brassy, Antillean salsa idiom. While the majority of the album is made up of Perera’s original compositions, Sensual also contains some exciting collaborations. He is joined by some very special guests on soulful interpretations of two highly recognized Latin American tunes. South American piano master Raul Di Blasio lends his distinctive stylings to the instrumental version of producer/composer Omar Alfanno’s megahit “A Puro Dolor,” performed by Son By Four, and the internationally renowned Central American singer Luis Enrique adds a stunning touch to Violeta Soledad Parra’s classic “Gracias a La Vida.” Perera tips his cap to the North with an imaginative rendition of Mason William’s 1970 crossover hit, “Classical Gas.” The superb arrangement was done by Levine, whom Roberto describes as “a thoughtful perfectionist who worked with care and paid attention to every detail to ensure a perfect musical outcome.” Nowhere is this more evident than on “Remembering Antonio,” Perera’s homage to his musical idol, the late Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. “It sounds practically like a Jobim arrangement,” points out Perera. “If you replace the harp with a piano, this tune would sound similar to one of those bossa evergreens penned by Jobim in the early 1960s.” Perera
began his association with Heads Up International in 1991 with the release of Passions, Illusions & Fantasies, an album which garnered
overwhelming critical acclaim throughout the Americas and Europe. The following
year Perera captured Billboard’s
first ever “Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year” award for Dreams
& Desires.
1993 saw the release of Christmas Fantasies, which
Hispanic Magazine called “easily one
of the best Christmas themes in years.”
On his four subsequent releases for Heads Up - Seduction
(1994), Harp & Soul (1996), Erotica
(1997) and In the Mood (2000) -
Perera continued to explore the lush musical landscapes which earned him Jazziz
honors as “Favorite Jazz Artist” in his category on numerous occasions. # # #
Following a string of four internationally successful recordings for Heads Up, Roberto Perera continues to explore new and creative ways to adapt his folkloric instrument with contemporary jazz on Harp and Soul. Blending rhythms from around the world, Perera's musical vision reflects Latin, Pop, Jazz, Afro-Cuban, New Age and South American influences. This kaleidoscope of original sounds has brought Perera the recognition of being a pioneer in sophisticated contemporary music. His creations consist largely of change: changing and combining musical types, rapidly shifting rhythms and many diverse sounds working together and alone in a finely tuned way. A lush dreamscape of musical introspection infused with strong rhythmic currents and an exotic alluring musical flavor blend together in a triumphant musical free-for-all with an aggressive beauty. As he demonstrates on Harp and Soul, Perera is a master of taking disparate elements and forging them into strikingly individual works of singular beauty. "The harp is an instrument completely foreign to my country." His South Atlantic homeland of Uruguay, South America's smallest republic is noted for its prosperity, cosmopolitan air and well educated, European-descended populace. "Harp and Soul is a little different than my previous albums," Perera says, explaining that on the earlier ventures he had used both the traditional Paraguayan folk harp and one with sharping levers to allow it to be played in different keys. On Harp and Soul, with the exception of one tune, he uses the unmodified folk instrument exclusively. "It's difficult to travel with two harps," he comments, "so I wanted to perform music that I can play wherever I go, whether it's with my own group or solo, which I also greatly enjoy. And I decided to write more original songs". The album opens with the aptly titled Perera original "Romantica," a lush unforgettable melody that brims with passion. "The song, and its appeal to the public, says a lot about my style," comments the harpist as he relates being cautioned by a concert promoter in the Dominican Republic not to perform any ballads. "The promoter said, `People here don't like slow music,' but we played it anyway, and afterward to a standing ovation the audience screamed, `Hey, play it again!'" And that's what Perera's fans will do time and time again with every track on his engaging new album. From the inventive salsa version of "Hotel California," the Eagles hit adapted remarkably well to the Perera touch, to the rhythmic effervescence of the Spanish-flavored "Place In The Sun," to "Malambo," a wistful song based on the Argentine rhythm for which it was named, Perera and his band make consistently inviting and invigorating music. Known as much for his gentlemanly manner as his elegant music, Perera acknowledges his well deserved reputation of being honest and straightforward, characteristics which also apply to his art. "I take playing the harp as a gift," he says. It's a gift shared once more on Harp and Soul. When Roberto Perera plays, his audience isn't just absorbed into the intoxicating sounds he produces, but is also captivated by the sight of the extraordinary musical instrument he plays. The Paraguayan electro-acoustical harp is smaller in size and form than the conventional European model, and is rarely seen even here in the United States. It is basically a part of the South American folklore - not exactly what one might expect given the highly original contemporary music of Perera. Of course, almost everything is unusual about Perera and nobody, including at one time those at his previous record label, knows exactly how to classify either him or his work. His musical career actually didn't even begin until 1976, when he moved to the U.S. from his native country Uruguay, where musical opportunities were scarce. His unusual choice of instrument was made early in life. Roberto, then just 12 years old, went to the Conservatory in Montevideo and chose the harp the moment he set eyes on it. He now recalls how even his mother was unsure that he would really want to play it: "The harp was considered to be an instrument solely for the playing of Paraguayan folksongs," says Perera. "Technically, it has great limitations. Tuned to just one key, it cannot modulate and generate rich harmonies." But Roberto has never been held back by such obstacles. Since he began his professional music career in the U.S., he has labored constantly to develop new ways of overcoming these technical limitations, in the process creating his own unique forms of expression. Says Perera, "My goal has always been to bring myself to the harp in an unorthodox way, to play themes and concepts that are normally not associated with the instrument... I approach the harp as a percussion instrument much like the piano, rather than a stringed instrument like the violin or guitar." Perera's transformation of the humble, hand-crafted harp from an instrument most suited to performing Paraguayan folk themes to one of the most imposing voices in contemporary instrumental music has been nothing short of magic. However, as with most accomplishments spurred by the call of destiny, the harpist's musical odyssey has been fashioned by hard work and zealous determination to overcome the instrument's technical limitations. "About the time I started playing the harp, the Beatles were very popular," says Perera of his earliest influences. "Because Brazil is so close to us, I listened to a lot of Brazilian music and pop from the U.S. We also had tango, from neighboring Argentina, and our own tango and folk music. What I really liked was the folk music from Paraguay and soon started mixing, using the technique of folk music to play Beatles tunes." Among those who have taken notice are Billboard Magazine, which named Dreams & Desires the contemporary Latin jazz album of the year in 1993; Cuban pop diva Gloria Estefan, who asked Perera to perform on her Grammy-winning album Abriendo Puertas; and Hispanic Magazine, which lauded his Christmas Fantasies album as "easily one of the best Christmas themes in years." In southern Florida Perera has always been known as a singularly intense musician, to the point where at times he has had to step back from the front line "to let things cool down a bit." He has made himself known to the music fans of his city at the Miami Movie Festival, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, the Downtown Festival, and at an intimate jazz club, the Music Room. His group has opened concerts for Maynard Ferguson, Tania Maria, Michel Camilo, Gato Barbieri and Stanley Jordan. As a soloist, he has given private performances for Pope John Paul II, Princess Caroline of Mónaco, and former President George Bush. |
