John Daversa Big Band featuring DACA Artists
American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom
AMERICAN DREAMERS: VOICES OF HOPE, MUSIC OF FREEDOM, the new CD spearheaded by multi-Grammy-nominee JOHN DAVERSA, is a deeply personal, emotional, and timely project. It’s a musical cri de coeur that gives voice to young un-documented people known as “Dreamers” who, through no fault of their own, were brought to this country as children. They grew up here and were instilled with American culture and values.
Daversa and his production team worked with several non-profit immigrant organizations to scour the country to find Dreamers who could play musical instruments and would be willing to participate in the project.
The Dreamers’ contributions are woven throughout this recording. They performed featured solos, instrumental accompaniments, spoken word poetry, string swells, multi- layered percussion grooves, lead vocals, shout choruses, and electrifying raps. Their musical performances are rich and diverse.
Jazz has been the music of freedom and protest, so it is eminently fitting as a vehicle for Dreamers to express their predicament. Putting aside the politics and partisanship of the current debate, all of us can enjoy these American songs.
53 DREAMERS FEATURED ON RECORDING
17 STATES/AREAS REPRESENTED BY THE DREAMERS: CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, FLORIDA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, GEORGIA, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA, OREGON, TEXAS, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON DC
17 BIRTH COUNTRIES OF THE DREAMERS: BELIZE, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, CHILE, COLOMBIA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, NIGERIA, PAKISTAN, PERU, PHILIPPINES, SENEGAL, SINGAPORE, SOUTH KOREA, SWEDEN, VENEZUELA
“The music on its own would make “American Dreamers” one of the best modern big band albums of this year, but when you add in the importance of the message being presented here, you have a jazz record that has transcended mere art and become a powerful social statement that will hopefully help people understand what is truly going on here.”
Personnel:
John Daversa (primary artist, director, composer, arranger, trumpet, evi, vocals, piano)
Musicians:
Victor Acosta (vocals and percussion), Juan Carlos Alarcon Moscoso (pipe organ, piano, and percussion), Kevin Alavrez (vocals), Edson Alvarado Fierro (trumpet, vocals, percussion, and poetry), Edwin Alvarez (vocals), Haziel Andrade (piano), Hareth Andrade-Ayala (vocals), Michael Angel (percussion), Daisy Cardozo (vocals), Jesus Cortez Sanchez (clarinet), Doug Davis (vocals, percussion), Alicia del Aguila (percussion), Tifany Del Rio (vocals), Juana Delgado Hoyo (vocals and percussion), Leezia Dhalla (percussion), Michael Hernandez (vocals James, remix)
Claudia Jimenez (vocals and percussion), Patricia Jimenez (vocals and percussion), Karina Macias Sandoval (vocals and percussion), Manny Macias Sandoval (vocals and percussion), Andreas Magnusson (percussion), Miguel Martinez (guitar, vocals and percussion), Guillermo Martinez (vocals and percussion), Tomás Monzón (vocals and percussion), Rodrigo Moreno (bass), Maria Moreno (flute, vocals and percussion) Saba Nafees (piano, vocals and percussion), Tobore Oweh (vocals), Gaby Pacheco (vocals), Raymond Partolan (vocals and percussion), Saba Nafees (piano, vocals and percussion), Tobore Oweh (vocals), Gaby Pacheco (vocals), Rey Pineda (vocals and percussion), Kate Reid (vocals), Antonia Riviera (percussion), Ana Rodriguez (vocals and percussion), Pablo Saldana (vocals), Ana Sanchez (vocals, percussion), Rixa Rivera Sandoval (vocals and percussion), Daniella Santos Vieira (piano, vocals and percussion), Andrea Seabra (vocals and percussion) Kabir Sehgal (bass and percussion), Maribel Serrano (vocals),
Francis Tume (vocals and percussion), Steven Weber (bass)
Manny Wellz (vocals), Eunsoo Yeong (percussion), Manny Wellz (vocals), Eunsoo Yeong (percussion)
Big Band:
Saxes:
Tom Kelley (alto saxophone, flute, and clarinet), Josiah Boornazian (alto saxophone and flute), Melvin Butler (tenor saxophone), Chris Thompson-Taylor (tenor saxophone and clarinet), David Leon (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, piccolo), Salvador Perez-Lopez
Clarinet and Percussion Trumpets:
Jesus Mato, Jr. (trumpet and flugelhorn), Jack Wengrosky (trumpet and flugelhorn), Michael Dudley (trumpet and flugelhorn), Jean Caze (trumpet and flugelhorn)
Trombones:
Paul Young (trombone), Derek Pyle (trombone), Jessica Hawthorne (trombone), Denzel Mendoza (trombone and percussion) Wesley Thompson (bass trombone and tuba)
Rhythm:
Zach Larmer (guitar), Tal Cohen (piano and keyboard), Jerry Watts, Jr. (bass), Gene Coye (drums), Murph Aucamp (percussion)
Orchestra:
Nathan Hartson (violin), Michael Newell (violin), Nicole Oswald (violin), Deena Rizkalla (violin), Katrina Schaefer (violin), Paige Towsey (violin), Rosalyn Weiss (violin), Steffen Zeichner (violin), Erik Eakes (viola), Ross DeBardelaben (viola), Andrew Grishaw (viola), Abigail Hason (viola), Shea Kole (cello), William Locke (cello), Robert Saunders (cello), Paul Chinen (oboe), Brian McKee (bassoon) Mackenzie Karbon (vibraphone & glockenspiel)
Executive Producers: Kabir Sehgal, Troy Carter, Steven Weber
Producer: Kabir Sehgal Doug Davis
Associate Producer: Kenya Autie
Assistant Producer: Steven Corn
Contributing Producer: Osman Hussein, Shayne Ebudo
Production Assistant: Bella Maytorena
Recording and Mixing Engineer: Oscar Autie
Pro Tools Engineer, Editing, Assistant Engineer: Chris Palowitch
Mastering Engineer: Gavin Lurssen
Recorded March to July 2018
Recorded at: Frost School of Music, Coral Gables, FL
Mixed at: El Cerrito Studio, El Cerrito, CA
Mastered at: Lurssen Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
Additional Recording at: University of Central Oklahoma, OK Boise State University, ID
Hall High School, West Hartford, CT El Cerrito Studio, CA
Downtown Music Studios, NY Alliance Theatre, GA
The Garage Studio at Los Angeles College of Music, CA House Studios, Washington D.C.
Additional Engineers:
Clint Bleil, Daniel Clayton, John Daversa, Derek Ganong, Jon Gilutin, Brian Gorrell, Jake “Vicious” Grotticelli, Lucas Haas, Alec Head, Ben Kealy, André Knecht, Kashi Sehgal
Engineering Assistants:
Ethan Goodman, Brian Houser, Javier Martinez, Yonadav Pahima, William Patrick, Samuel Schafer
Photography: Mackenzie Karbon Liner Notes: Saba Nafees, Kabir Sehgal, Doug Davis
BFM Jazz Executives: Steven Weber, Steven Corn, Michele Ito
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