One of Canada’s most celebrated jazz duos is treating us to some sultry summer jazz before the season comes to an end!
Beloved JUNO-nominated vocalist Alex Bird joins forces with longtime musical partner Ewen Farncombe and LATIN GRAMMY award-winning guitarist and producer Cheo for their brand new EP Casanova Bossa Nova Lover Man, set for release on August 8. A collection of all-original Bossa Nova music, the inspiration for the EP manifested itself in the summer of 2022 when Bird and Cheo crossed paths at the Cameron House in Toronto where Bird was performing. “This project is a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time,” says Bird. “When Latin music legend Cheo walked into our debut show at The Cameron House a few summers ago, it set this exciting collaboration into motion.”
Since then, alongside Farncombe, the unlikely trio has been hard at work on what would become Casanova Bossa Nova Lover Man. Cheo, a musical legend in his own right, juggles many hats as a DJ, producer, composer, songwriter and guitarist who won a LATIN GRAMMY in 2010 for Best Alternative Music Album. The EP also features Bird’s band the Jazz Mavericks, an incredible lineup of rising stars in the Canadian jazz scene featuring Jacob Gorzhaltsan on sax, Julian Anderson-Bowes on bass, Norbert Botos on drums and Farncombe on piano.
For Bird, he’s bringing a contemporary and modern flair to the Bossa Nova genre. “Casanova Bossa Nova Lover Man is not for the past; it’s for today, and continues our journey of offering listening audiences new music in a genre that has been mostly populated by covers,” he says. “Ewen, Cheo & I are so grateful these new slices of modern Bossa Nova are resonating with people all over the world. So darn hip to see!”
The EP is preceded by lead singles, “Papaya” and “Lullaby for Dreaming” which were released last summer. Casanova Bossa Nova Lover Man comes out independently and on all streaming platforms on August 8.
