Kassin + 2

Kassin + 2 (also known as the + 2's) is a Brazilian band from Rio de Janeiro that composes samba but, at the same time, incorporates the sounds of funk and Psychedelia into their music.

Biography

"To understand where the richness of Futurismo [http://www.luakabop.com/kassin/] by Kassin + 2 comes from, take a walk through Rio’s Zona Sul. In the dusty record shops of Copacabana’s crumbling antiques arcades, 60’s MPB classics by Elis Regina and Jorge Ben play on scratchy vinyl. In bohemian Santa Theresa, the psychedelic sounds of Os Mutantes and Tom Zé find their spiritual home. Along the Ipanema beachfront the bossa nova of Tom Jobim and Joao Gilberto remains the perfect reflection of that elegant part of the city. You can hear samba everywhere, from the city centre to the furthest suburbs, and in the hillside slums, the bump and grind of favela funk pumps out a rougher reality.

Futurismo by Kassin + 2 is the new portrait of Rio’s rich musical, cultural and ethnic diversity. The final part in the + 2 trilogy — fellow band members Moreno Veloso and Domenico Lancellotti were the featured names for the first two releases — Futurismo is as Carioca as Havianas, Caiprinhas and the ability to spend all day on the beach without getting any sand on your sarong.

For the past few years, Kassin has been one of the most exciting names in Brazilian music. From his Monoaural Studio in Gávea he has produced records by singers like Marisa Monte and Bebel Gilberto and made an album from the bleeps of a Game Boy. He has played bass for Caetano Veloso’s live shows and masterminded the Orquestra Imperial project, in which Gafeira samba classics are given a modern twist by a loose and ever-expanding live band. And given his status as a leader of Brazil’s musical avant-garde, the biggest surprise of Futurismo is its bossa-rooted accessibility. John McEntire (Tortoise) and Sean O'Hagan (High Llamas) also contributed to the album with additional production and vocals on the tracks "Ya Ya Ya," "Lakeline" and "Back Bow."

The songs on Futurismo are melodic gems. They were written at different periods in Kassin’s life and recorded quickly, mostly on acoustic instruments with electronic flourishes added later.

“Seu Lugar,” a duet with funky bossa nova legend Joao Donato, has the ease of a sea breeze. “Mensagem” is a beautiful slice of sunshine pop with some unsuitably melancholic lyrics. “Ya Ya Ya” is a collision of Brazilian harmony and squealing space-age freakout reminiscent of the classics from the Tropicalia era. “Pra Lembrar” begins with an orchestral blast before settling into a plaintive bossa nova that is evocative of the beauty, humor and sadness, forever entwined, at the heart of Rio life.

Alongside Music Typewriter by Moreno + 2 (2001) and Sincerely Hot by Domenico + 2 (2004), Futurismo presents a body of work by a group that is as inspired by adventure as it is by the grace of Brazil’s musical traditions. Kassin was 17 when he met childhood friends Moreno Veloso and Domenico Lancellotti through Pedro Sa, a mutual friend and fellow musician. In 1999, after performing a concert together and bonding over a shared inspiration from the American/Brazilian experimental musician Arto Lindsay, the trio rented a house in Petropolis on the outskirts of Rio and set up a studio. The + 2 band came from those early sessions." [http://www.luakabop.com/kassin/]

Band Members

*Alexandre Kassin: bass, keyboards, guitar, programming, vocals; producer
*Domenico Lancelotti: drums, percussion, backing vocals
*Moreno Veloso: guitar, cello, percussion, backing vocals

Discography

* "Futurismo" [http://www.luakabop.com/kassin/]
* "Sincerely Hot" [http://www.luakabop.com/plus_two/index.html]
* "Music Typewriter" [http://www.luakabop.com/plus_two/cmp/album_01.html]

Kassin + 2 is signed to the record label, Luaka Bop [http://www.luakabop.com/] . This world music label has released three Kassin +2 albums: Futurismo [http://www.luakabop.com/kassin/] , Sincerely Hot [http://www.luakabop.com/plus_two/index.html] , and Music Typewriter [http://www.luakabop.com/plus_two/cmp/album_01.html] .