Once in a while, an artist is born with an inexplicable connection to a culture far from the artist’s origins. Such is the case with Sandy Cressman. Born in New York City of American parents, but with a Brazilian heart, Cressman began her recording career with the highly acclaimed vocal trio Pastiche, with whom she recorded three CDs, “That’s R&Bebop” (Pony/Canyon/Nova) “Remember That” (BluePrint), and “Pastiche”(Summit).
While many an American jazz singer flirts with the Brazilian Songbook, Sandy Cressman made a name for herself as a true devotee of the country’s greatest contemporary composers, interpreting songs by post-bossa masters like Milton Nascimento, Hermeto Pascoal, Gilberto Gil, and Filó Machado in Rio-accented Portuguese. Cressman began her love affair with Brazilian sounds. Already intrigued by the music of Flora Purim and Airto, Milton Nascimento, and Tania Maria, she was totally captivated by a tape of the funky Brazilian singer/songwriter Djavan she heard while touring with Pastiche in Japan. In the mid-’80s, she began studying Portuguese and Brazilian percussion at San Jose State, where she majored in vocal jazz. By the early ’90s, Brazilian music had become such an important part of Cressman’s life that she listened to Dori Caymmi albums while giving birth to her two daughters.
Sandy has lent her vocals to a number of notable artists’ recordings, including:
- Akira Tana and Friends feat. Branford Marsalis & Arturo Sandoval–Bossa Nova Dreams
- Columna B — Cuba Without Borders
- Michael Spiro– Bata Mbira
- Consuelo Luz — Dezeo
- Marion Meadows – -Next to You (Heads Up Records)
- Tom Grant — Tune In (Windham Hill Records)
- Ray Obiedo — Sweet Summer Days, Sticks and Stones, Iguana(Windham Hill Records) and Modern World (Domo Records)
- Pete Escovedo — Flying South (Concord Crossover Records)
- Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra–Live: Kirtan and Pagan Mixes and Mondo Rama (Narada Records)
- Eddie Money — Can’t Hold Back (CBS Records)
- Neal Schon — Late Nite (CBS Records)
- Pastiche — Remember That (BluePrint Records) and That’s R&Bebop (Pony/Canyon/Nova), Pastiche
- Candela — Madre Rumba Padre Son (PanCaliente Records) and Ilusiones (Orfeo Records, Uruguay)
- Damien — Intercambio (Good Omen Records)
- Prince Ayo — Dancing to Africa (Polygram Nigeria)
- Music for Little People–numerous children’s recordings
