Hidden Treasures From Jobim's Song Catalogue

A New Collaboration Of Pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto With Brazil's Jaques & Paula Morelenbaum

Recorded In The Atmospheric Rio De Janeiro Home Of Composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sony Classical's Casa Introduces Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto

Casa Includes First Recording Of Hidden Treasures From Jobim's Song Catalogue And Music Never Before Recorded

Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto To Tour U.S. September 5-13

New York NY - Recorded in the bewitching atmosphere of Antonio Carlos Jobim's home overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Sony Classical's Casa introduces an exciting new collaboration - the trio Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto - in a revealing new collection of the music of Jobim, the master of Brazilian bossa nova. Pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto joins cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and singer Paula Morelenbaum - both long associated with Jobim and his music - on the recording, with a guest appearance by Jobim's son Paulo. Casa will be released on Tuesday, August 20, 2002.

Sakamoto plays Jobim's own piano on every track of Casa, recorded in the composer's Rio home, with its inspiring views of Corcovado and Lagoa. The recording venue became a part of the very sound of Casa. Birdsongs and the chirp of crickets were heard through the open windows of the house while the trio made the recording, and the sounds of the waves and the beach scene at Leblon have been incorporated into the final mix of several tracks.

Joining Sakamoto are the Morelenbaums, who performed and recorded extensively with Jobim in his last decade. The 17 tracks of Casa explore hidden treasures from the Jobim song catalogue and introduce music by Jobim that has never before been recorded. After accompanying the recording's release in Brazil and Japan with sold-out concerts, Sakamoto and the Morelenbaums will follow up the international release of Casa with a worldwide tour that will include U.S. performances September 5-13. The scheduled U.S. dates are Sept. 5-6 at Bimbo's in San Francisco; Sept. 7 at The Knitting Factory in Los Angeles (two shows at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.); Sept. 8 at House of Blues in Chicago (two shows at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.); and Sept. 10-13 at Joe's Pub in New York, where the trio will perform two shows nightly, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

In response to the successful release of Casa in Japan and Brazil, Sakamoto has been awarded a decoration by the government of Brazil - the Ordem de Rio Branco, Cavaleiro, for exceptional merit. Brazil's ambassador to Japan will present the award to Sakamoto in a ceremony at the Brazilian embassy in Tokyo.

Recording Casa in Jobim's home added an intensely personal quality to the music making, which features the first professional recording of “Tema para Ana," a love song Jobim wrote for his wife Ana. International audiences will discover the rarely heard “Chanson pour Michelle" - dedicated to Michel Legrand - written by Jobim for the soundtrack of a TV soap opera and previously available only on a rare vinyl LP. Paulo Jobim suggested the song to the trio, as well as a new version of the standard “Esperan