New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Rogê - guitarist, singer-songwriter and prince of the Lapa nightlife scene (in the heart of Rio) - announces his new album Curyman, to be released March 3 on Diamond West Records. Since leaving the turbulence of his home city for Los Angeles, Rogê has been reimagining samba through a fresh lens of cinematic orchestrations, intoxicating grooves and sun-baked psychedelia. 11 songs, nearly all of them originals written by Rogê for this album and sung in Portuguese, bring the sounds of Brazil into new territories.
To make Curyman, Rogê partnered with funk/soul mastermind
Thomas Brenneck, known for his work with Menahan Street Band, Amy Winehouse, as the producer/songwriter/guitarist for Charles Bradley, and as a go-to collaborator with some of the biggest names in music, including
Mark Ronson and Jay-Z. Rogê and Brenneck then flew to Rio for a historic session with Brazilian composer Arthur Verocai to finish the album.
Today's announcement arrives with a new preview of Curyman, "Existe Uma Voz." Over the signature syncopation of samba's percussive guitar, Rogê sings sincerely of following one's inner voice. It's a swanky, funky ode to the self, tinged with psych flourishes and worldly wisdom. Says Rogê, "This song is about this voice that we all have deep inside, and this voice is always talking to us, but we need to be willing to listen to it. Meaning the answer is always inside of you. You have to believe in it!"
Listen to "Existe Uma Voz" here: https://diamondwest.lnk.to/existeumavoz
And watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps_dTfHHzzc
Rogê and Brenneck's magical connection started the day they met, making an album's worth of demos on the spot. The all-analog sessions were held at Sound Factory in Los Angeles. The musicians on the album feature a host of ace players from both North
America and Brazil, including BadBadNotGood's Chester Hansen on bass, whistler
Molly Lewis and keyboardist Victor Axelrod.
Sessions continued at Cia Dos Técnicos Studio in Rio with cult legend Arthur Verocai, the Brazilian composer, arranger and songwriter. Verocai is famous for his 1972 debut album, under-appreciated for decades before becoming legendary in record collector circles, and sampled extensively by MF Doom, Madlib, Ludacris, Cut Chemist and many others.
Curyman captures a feeling of pure joy, warmth and emotional depth through Roge's scruffy, lived-in voice and dazzling guitar work. The album balances funky samba-flavored grooves ("Eu Gosta Dela" and "Grito Do Natureza") with widescreen ballads ("Se Eu For Falar De Amor," "Yemanjá"), lush with strings courtesy of Verocai.
Curyman is the debut LP on Diamond West Records, based in Pasadena, CA, which is being distributed by Secretly Distribution. It was launched by Brenneck and longtime friend, Budos Band bandmate and entertainment lawyer Jared Tankel. Brenneck is in the process of building Diamond West Studios and will announce further label releases soon.
Read more about Rogê's rise in a profile that ran in the LA Times in advance of two performances at Hollywood Bowl with
Gipsy Kings in August. Roge has also received some initial support from Gilles Peterson on his BBC6 show, and previously has shared "Pra Vida," described by KUTX as: "Channeling
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 with sandy acoustic guitar and breezy group vocals… an experience that'll have you reinvesting in the magic of life, language barriers be damned."
Rogê is one of the most exciting singer-songwriters to emerge from Rio and on the verge of an international breakthrough. He recorded an album with Seu
Jorge that was released in 2020 and featured in the NY Times and the New Yorker. The Latin GRAMMY nominee has released a number of Brazilian solo albums and is also known for co-writing the theme song for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
Pre-order here: https://DiamondWest.lnk.to/curyman
Curyman Tracklist:
Pra Vida
Nação Yupi
Eu Gosta Dela
Câmara
Retumbar Do Meu Tambor
Mistério Da Raça
Existe Uma Voz
Se Eu For Falar Da Amor
Grito Do Natureza
Yemanjá
Curyman
Upcoming Tour Dates:
October 22 - Miracle Inglewood, Los Angeles, CA^
November 12 - GRLSWRL Surf Skate Fest, Venice, CA
December 9 - White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ*
December 10 - Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA*
December 11 - Brighton
Music Hall, Allston, MA*
* with Budos Band
^ with Flor de Toloache.
