Saxophonist, arranger and producer Leo Gandelman is the son
of a classical pianist who by the age of 15 was a soloist for the Brazilian
Symphony Orchestra. Combined with a
solid classical foundation, Gandelman studied at Berklee College of Music, in
the USA, returning to Brazil in 1979 to begin his professional career, which
has seen him participate in over 800 recordings to date. He launched his solo
career in 1987 taking inspiration from Brazilian music and Jazz, but always
with a clear creative versatility.
Leo's work has also received acclaim in the United States
over the past decade where he has played to six full houses at the Blue Note,
New York. Fluent in the flow between
Jazz and classic, Gandelman participated as a soloist in the 2001 Brazilian
Symphony Orchestra concerts at the Lincoln Centre and Central Park. In 2004, he
was invited by the Symphony Orchestra of Brasilia to perform for President Lula
while in 2006 he recorded with the Symphony Orchestra of the Petrobrás, under
the conductorship of the master Isaac Karabtchevsky, performing a Concertino of
Radamés Ganattali. Leo has recorded ten albums over the course of his solo
career selling over 500,000 copies and has been voted ‘Best Brazilian
Instrumentalist’ for 15 years in a row by Jornal do Brasil’s music polls. With the album "Radamés & the
Sax" Leo Gandelman earned two TIM awards in 2007 for "Best
Instrumental Album" and "Best Producer" before 2008’s release of
"Sabe Você", a beautiful revisit of Brazilian ballads with special
guest appearances of the MPB such as Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Milton
Nascimento, Luiz Melodia, Leny Andrade, Ney Matogrosso, Joel Nascimento and
Leila Pinheiro.
Discography on Far Out:
FARO144 - Brazilian Groove Band 'Anatomy of Groove'
FARO147 - 'Garrincha O.S.T.'
FARO165 - Leo Gandelman 'Vip Vop' (CD+DVD)
