BIO
Moscow-born vocalist Masha Campagne spent her formative years studying cello and piano at the famed Gnessin State Musical College. Her grandfather, Matthew Fayans, an accomplished multi-reed player introduced her to jazz and bossa nova music. Whether attending his shows with the 25-piece Metropole Big Band Orchestra or delving into his extensive LP collection Campagne had a host of early influences, among them Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and Tom Jobim.
"My grandfather was a true jazz musician and a bit of a rebel"recalls Campagne. "He defied the communist system in the 1950s by playing the allegedly "bourgeois"American music. His audacity fused with strong love of jazz embodied the very spirit of freedom that shaped me into the artist that I am today".
Having crossed the tender threshold of her twenties, Campagne crossed another when, in 1991, she left post-Soviet Russia and arrived in San Francisco with hardly a dollar to her name. She immersed in local jazz scene studying, playing club dates and working as a voice teacher and jazz educator. Winning the 1st prize in the prestigious Downbeat Student Music Award for her work with jazz vocal group "Fanfares" touched off a series of events that soon found this beautiful, multilingual talent gracing the stages of Yoshi's, Kuumbwa, and Monterey Jazz Festival, to name but a few.
Most Importantly collaborating with Rio de Janeiro-born pianist/composer/arranger Weber Iago (pronounced: Ya-go) resulted in creation of genre-bending "Caminhos Cruzados " Crossroads", the collection of jazz and Brazilian gems by the likes of Porter, Rodgers, Jobim and Guinga. The 2007 award-winning release gathered rave reviews in publications such as Cadence, Jazz Times, and AMG noting that "Campagne has forged a delicious Brazilian jazz sound"(Andrew Gilbert), is "musically superb, lyrically convincing"(Jim Santella) and "communicates a thoroughly-hip and venturous command of the Brazilian-jazz vernacular" (Glen Astarita)
With the long anticipated 2012 sophomore release Like Water, Like Air Campagne"s fresh and sincere voice is bound to reach new levels of recognition. Co-produced with her long-time musical partner Iago it indicates the arrival of a singular artist with unparalleled grace, vision and maturity.
More importantly, it marks the recording debut of Campagne as a songwriter. Four impressive originals reflect a thoughtful attention to detail, both in the heartfelt lyrics and in smart, compelling arrangements. Adding to that are exciting collaborations with the prodigious Brazilian guitarist/composer Guinga and German harmonica and vibraphone virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens - the results are sensual, sparkling, and sure.
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