tim sparks | press articles

M A N D A L A
Mandala at the
Dakota Bar & Grill

Minneapolis Star Tribune
February 23, 1996
by Tom Surowicz, Twin Cities freelance writer

Personnel:

Gary Berg - tenor saxophone
Dave Graf - trombone
Dave King - drums
Terrence Hughes - piano, synthesizer
Mary Ann O'Dougherty - vocals, percussion
Tim O'Keefe - percussion, harmonica
Tim Sparks - guitar
Cully Swansen - bass

Background: O'Dougherty ran a jazz nightclub in Recife, Brazil, for four years starting in 1980. The house band was called Mandala, and when she returned to her native Minnesota, O'Dougherty kept the name and the Brazilian music alive. Since 1985 she has led a local version of Mandala, with myriad personnel changes.
    Core members of the current unit are Hughes, Sparks and Swansen. Jazz pianist Hughes released his own CD, "East of the Sun, " a couple of years ago. Sparks is a National Fingerpicking Champion who has been heard with Rio Nido and a host of world-music groups. Up-and-coming bebopper Swansen also works with the Brad Bellows Sextet and Eddie Berger.
    Berg and Graf, a frequent Jack McDuff sideman, are two of the Twin Cities' busiest jazz players. O'Keefe was a charter member of Cats Under the Stars, and he plays in Robayat and other world-beat groups. King also drums for rockers Rhea Valentine.

Concept: "We want to reflect the way Brazilians do Brazilian music - their style, their moods," O'Dougherty said. "We are very interested in the original Brazilian arrangements. So the charts you hear on our new album are taken right off the recordings from Brazil, going back go the 1940s. . . . And our repertoire - the choice of songs - is also very important to me.
    "Mandala does a couple of tunes that are well-known in America, of course, by {Antonio Carlos} Jobim and Ary Barroso. But my intention was to expose a number of songs that are extremely well-known in Brazil, yet virtually unheard up here."

Recordings: Mandala's debut album, "Aquarela do Brasil" ("Watercolor of Brazil") was issued this month by Deep Blue/Igmod Records.

Review: This combo faithfully presents timeless material by some of Brazil's most fabled samba and bossa nova composers, with a band book stretching back to the late 1930s and including plenty of contemporary tunes, too. These songs have lots of crossover appeal for jazz fans, but Mandala never sounds like a bunch of jazz players glibly using the Brazilian fare as a springboard for solos. Berg and Graf get their swingin' bop licks in, but Mandala's chief concern is to showcase South American music in an authentic tropical fashion.
    In early incarnations of the band, O'Dougherty's phrasing sometimes seemed more studied than natural. But these days, the St. Paul elementary-school music teacher could pass for a native of Bahia. Her vocals on the "Watercolor of Brazil" CD sound warm and effortless.

Copyright 1996 Star Tribune.

press
home
top


		M A N D A L A Mandala at the Dakota Bar & Grill Minneapolis Star Tribune February 23, 1996 by Tom Surowicz, Twin Cities freelance writer Personnel: Gary Berg - tenor saxophone Dave Graf - trombone Dave King - drums Terrence Hughes - piano, synthesizer Mary Ann O'Dougherty - vocals, percussion Tim O'Keefe - percussion, harmonica Tim Sparks - guitar Cully Swansen - bass Background: O'Dougherty ran a jazz nightclub in Recife, Brazil, for four years starting in 1980. The house band was called Mandala, and when she returned to her native Minnesota, O'Dougherty kept the name and the Brazilian music alive. Since 1985 she has led a local version of Mandala, with myriad personnel changes. Core members of the current unit are Hughes, Sparks and Swansen. Jazz pianist Hughes released his own CD, "East of the Sun, " a couple of years ago. Sparks is a National Fingerpicking Champion who has been heard with Rio Nido and a host of world-music groups. Up-and-coming bebopper Swansen also works with the Brad Bellows Sextet and Eddie Berger. Berg and Graf, a frequent Jack McDuff sideman, are two of the Twin Cities' busiest jazz players. O'Keefe was a charter member of Cats Under the Stars, and he plays in Robayat and other world-beat groups. King also drums for rockers Rhea Valentine. Concept: "We want to reflect the way Brazilians do Brazilian music - their style, their moods," O'Dougherty said. "We are very interested in the original Brazilian arrangements. So the charts you hear on our new album are taken right off the recordings from Brazil, going back go the 1940s. . . . And our repertoire - the choice of songs - is also very important to me. "Mandala does a couple of tunes that are well-known in America, of course, by {Antonio Carlos} Jobim and Ary Barroso. But my intention was to expose a number of songs that are extremely well-known in Brazil, yet virtually unheard up here." Recordings: Mandala's debut album, "Aquarela do Brasil" ("Watercolor of Brazil") was issued this month by Deep Blue/Igmod Records. Review: This combo faithfully presents timeless material by some of Brazil's most fabled samba and bossa nova composers, with a band book stretching back to the late 1930s and including plenty of contemporary tunes, too. These songs have lots of crossover appeal for jazz fans, but Mandala never sounds like a bunch of jazz players glibly using the Brazilian fare as a springboard for solos. Berg and Graf get their swingin' bop licks in, but Mandala's chief concern is to showcase South American music in an authentic tropical fashion. In early incarnations of the band, O'Dougherty's phrasing sometimes seemed more studied than natural. But these days, the St. Paul elementary-school music teacher could pass for a native of Bahia. Her vocals on the "Watercolor of Brazil" CD sound warm and effortless. Copyright 1996 Star Tribune.

		press home top