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Celso Salim

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Big city blues
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Big city blues
Released: Nov 14, 2007
Label: tratore

General Info

  • Genre: Blues

    Location São Paulo, São Paulo, Br

    Profile Views: 20968

    Last Login: 8/22/2011

    Member Since 5/26/2006

    Website www.celsosalim.com

    Record Label GRV discos www.grv.art.br

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Celso Salim – Big City Blues (GRV Records new release) “Big City Blues” is Celso Salim’s 3rd and newest album. In this record, his most Bluesy one, he shows great improve as a composer, singer and guitarist. Playing dobro, electric and acoustic guitars with slide in many tracks, Celso shows 12 original songs plus a cover of “If the sea was whiskey” by Willie Dixon and Leonard Caston. The album presents American drummer Jason Sterling and Brazilian bassist Rodrigo Mantovani as Celso’s band and as special guests; Ari Borguer(piano), Igor Prado(guitar) and Sérgio Duarte(harp) among others. Produced by Celso Salim and Rafael Cury. Released by GRV Records on November 2007. Official release party will be on February 2008 at the Bourbon St. Music Club in São Paulo. ---- Born in Brasília, Celso Salim begun playing guitar when he was only 6 years old. At the age of 12 started learning his first Blues licks and with 15 he was already performing with local bands in the Brasília area. After finishing high-school he moved to Los Angeles were he studied at the Musicians Institute for 3 years. Celso received the “outstanding stylist award” when he graduated from M.I.. Also at that time he joint a local Blues band and started performing in the L.A. area. In 2000 Celso moved back to Brazil and started his solo career with the release of his first album called Lucky Boy. This record was produced during his last year in L.A. In 2003 Celso released his 2nd album called “Going Out Tonight”, recorded between Brasília and L.A.. Both releases have special guests such as Henry “Sol-Eh” Brewer(keyboards), Darryl Carriere(harp and vocals) and Rafael Moreira(guitar) among others. Since 2003 Celso started performing all around the Country playing in clubs and festivals. Among his best gigs stands out the opening for BB King’s concert in Brasília and the Guaramiranga international Blues&Jazz festival. Now a days, Celso is been living in São Paulo for 3 years and is considered to be one of the best blues guitarists in Brazil. Besides his own band he also performs with 2 others great Brazilian Blues artists; Sérgio Duarte & Entidade Joe and Ari Borguer Quartet. .... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .... CD REVIEWS CELSO SALIM "BIG CITY BLUES" - GRV DISCOS BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO © JULY 2008 It's been exactly three and a half years since I've reviewed a disc from Brazil and the wait has been certainly worth it. While penning my first review of a Brazilian Blues Band back in January of 2004, I remember being speculative of just how many other good blues bands might be down there, in a country that's predominately recognized for it's Jazz - as far as music is concerned. As I sit here listening to "BIG CITY BLUES", by CELSO SALIM, I now know there is at least one more. "BIG CITY BLUES", CELSO'S third release consists of twelve originals and a WILLIE DIXON cover. The nucleus of the band is CELSO SALIM, of course, on electric and acoustic guitars, dobro, mandolin and vocals; RODRIGO MONTAVANI on electric and upright bass; and JASON STERLING on drums. Special guests include: ARI BORGER, piano; SERGIO DUARTE, harmonica; RAFAEL CURY, vocals; FLAVIO NAVES, organ; IGOR PRADO and DILLO DARAJUO, lead guitar; ADRIANO GRINEBERG, electric piano; MINGO JACOBS, percussion; THAIS UESSUGUI and UNDIANA NOMMA, background vocals. "BEST CHEATER IN TOWN", the discs opening track, immediately impressed me by leaving no doubt in my mind that I'd be listening to a quality band. CELSO'S strong and raspy vocals, SERGIO'S sharpness on the harp, and serious rhythm coming from RODRIGO & JASON easily established that. Outstanding piano by ARI opens up the title track, "BIG CITY BLUES", and combined with FLAVIO'S smoothness on the organ, these two combine for some great keyboard work throughout. This relaxed foot tappin' and finger snappin' track features the band in a mellow groove, highlighted by great electric guitar and dobro from SELSO. These guys may be from South America, but on "SWEET LOVIN' QUEEN", you'd swear you were listening to a veteran blues band from the south side of Chicago. This is the real deal blues right here. Scorching vocals, blazing guitars, smokin' harp and barrelhouse piano......Do I need to say more?. "DANGEROUS GAMES", is a hot little shuffle led by ARI, at discs best, on piano. Powerful guitar riffs, very hot drummin', a lot of bottom coming from the standup bass and good harmony from the background singers make this another of the discs best. In spite of a hell of a guitar solo from CELSO, "WORKING SHOES" is all about the percussion. MINGO, RODRIGO and JASON steal this one with phenomenal conga, bass and drum work. "HANGIN' OUT WITH MR. DANIELS" is an appealing, Jazzy instrumental. This is the kind of stuff that gets all of your body's movable parts doing just that. It's spotlighted by very smooth guitar playing from IGOR, very snappy drum work, more rich bass from the standup, and - as on most of the disc - more good piano. Very good stuff right here. On this track, the opening guitar notes by DILLO gave me goose bumps "ALL OVER MY SKIN". And he did his very best to keep them there with lots more astounding highlights all through the track. Too bad this was his only appearance. His guitar, along with prominent vocals from CELSO, make this one of "BIG CITY BLUES" very best Other terrific tracks not mentioned include: "TRUTHFUL LIARS", "IF THE SEA WAS WHISKEY", "CRAZY ABOUT YOU", "BACKDOOR LOVERMAN", "1000 MILES BLUES" and "ONOLOLO BLUES". You really ought to stop by www.celsosalim.com and grab yourself a copy of this disc. As a matter of fact, from what I just heard, I'm thinking you should pick up CELSO'S previous two releases as well - I intend to. By the way, who ya gonna tell sent ya? As usual, the Blewzzman did. Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com .... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .... ONLINE MAGAZINE BLUES BYTES CD BIG CITY BLUES REVIEW Big City Blues (GRV Records) is the third album by Celso Salim, and it is arguably the best yet, certainly to my ears – maybe because it is bluesier then the earlier two. The CD benefits from having 12 original songs and just one cover version (“If The Sea Were Whiskey”), and the original songs are all good. Salim shows his instrumental diversity by playing dobro, electric and acoustic guitars – backed by Jason Sterling on drums, Rodrigo Mantovani on bass and guest artists Ari Borguer (piano), Igor Prado (guitar), Sergio Duarte (harmonica) and others.Salim is very obviously a talented musician, and he has been playing guitar since the age of 6; he studied at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, and joined a local blues band in the area, before moving back to his native Brazil in 2000. This is his first album since the 2003 release Going Out Tonight, and it has been worth the wait. The album contains lots of different tempos and styles of blues, from driving rocking blues to simple picking, and obviously has many different influences. The opening track “Best Cheater In Town” is a rocking blues, with some superb harmonica work from Sergio Duarte backing Celso’s stylish slide guitar work. “Truthful Liars” keeps to the same tempo and style with its driving, insistent beat, and slips into track three, the title track “Big City Blues,” slowing down the tempo slightly and showcasing some nice piano work by Ari Borguer. Track four, “Sweet Lovin’ Queen,” is pure Muddy Waters-influenced and is possibly the best track on the album – the slide guitar is pure heaven! I’d buy the CD for this track alone. The cover of Willie Dixon’s “If The Sea Was Whiskey” is another contender for best track on the album, staying true to the original without being a direct copy. There isn’t a bad track on the album, it’s just that some are better than others. There seems to be some high standard blues coming out of Brazil at the moment, and this is a good listen. --- Terry Clear

  • Members

    Jason Sterling (drums)..Rodrigo Mantovani (bass)..Celso Salim (guitars and vocals)

  • Influences

    Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Johnny Winter, Freddy King, BB King, Willie Dixon, Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Lee, Merle Travis, Marshall Tucker Band, John Hammond, Bob Margolin and many other great musicians.

  • Sounds Like

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