The crystal clear, emotional and intimate voice of Jason Gould soars on this composition by Stephan Oberhoff, Marsha Malamet and Liz Vidal.

This simple and heartfelt composition is the featured song in the independent LGBT cult movie "Scrooge & Marley" but what you are hearing now is a much more present 2021 re- mastered version!

Enjoy and please comment how you feel about the vibe and Jason's delivery of the song.

AMAZING re-mastered

This is a cool 4 minute Mix Reel of 6 songs of HEARTBEAT BRAZIL, mostly written by band leader Stephan Oberhoff and a few very soulful covers of brazilian composers such as Caetanao Veloso, Guinga, Ivan Lins and others. For booking, please contact Stephan at safesoul2@aol.com

HEARTBEAT BRAZIL In 4 Mins

Hey FB family,

I decided to share with you, for a limited time - until the CD comes out - my deepest Labor Of Love, my favorite song of Ivan Lins: COMECAR DE NOVO.
Until the actual release date of the CD, you may stream it as often as you wish from SoundCloud per the link below!

It begins with about a minute long orchestral overture that took about 10-14 days to write and orchestrate (which, those I am blessed to work with, know that means pretty much improvising with my orchestral sounds and drawing melodic responses from my muse) and then leads into the main song, which modulates not only in half steps like the original, but ascends a minor third at the end!

I am pleased to also share with you that Ivan Lins himself has heard this and expressed great appreciation for my arrangement! If I get his permisson, I will share his words with you one day.
The violoncello part is played by Marquinho Ribeiro, one of the best Cellists I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and was recorded at Beck Studios in Rio de Janeiro!
What an adventure this is - I am truly, truly blessed !



Yours
Stephan Oberhoff

PS: Please please do share this - these days, my FaceBook posts reach an average of around 60 people ! Without your shares and Likes, I am powerless to spread the inspiration! Thank you so much!

COMECAR DE NOVO Stephan Oberhoff (Ivan Lins_Vitor Martins)

Written by Stephan Oberhoff and Robert Kyle !

ALTAVISTA

This is one of the most beautiful compositions and heartfelt lyrics I have ever heard. The song has haunted me since I heard it performed by my dear friend Pedro Iacovini who invented a vocal arrangement for this gorgeous piece. 
Besides being the original arranger of the vocal arrangement, Pedro is also featured as vocalist in the song as well. You can hear his etheral voice enter at 1;21 after which my vocal returns.
Since the tempo is significantly slower than most recordings of this song, I chose a shorter arrangement than the composer performs. Please look up Guinga on I tunes and listen to his works - his harmonic and melodic depth is beyond compare, side by side with Jobim and Villa Lobos!
as always, if you feel so moved, you can enter your comments into the music stream. Enjoy and muito obrigado Guinga and Pedro!

SENHORINHA

This brazilian Frevo is my very first composition in this style of music and it was created immediately following my 4th stay at California Brazil Camp. I was student of Mestre Spok, who is not only the kindest teacher, but also one of the world's most outstanding composers, arrangers and band leaders.
This frevo is jazzier than most traditional ones but it reflects the energy which just floored me when we played it at Camp.
 
The blistering clarinet solo is played by the amazing John Tegmeyer and the Fender Rhodes ("Rhodsy" as my brazilian friends pronounce it) by yours truly.
Enjoy!

Beam Me Up Spok

This song, co-written by Michele Brourman and myself, is a joyous exploration of the brazilian music style and it's infectious, very danceable rhythm.
Try to sit still while listening ;-)
This song is also part of the new CD "Applauding The Sunset"
Enjoy!

FORAY INTO FORRO

This is my new arrangement of Ivan Lins' classic song which just kept pulling my heartstrings until I finally relented. Contrary to the beautiful original I chose to go more of a bitter-sweet route and underscore the bittersweet farewell that is bottled up inside of this gorgeous melody and magical chordal landscape. It was not easy to "cry my way" through these lyrics once I understood their deeper meaning - eventually I made it through and I am so happy to have this song in my live show and on this record! 

Credits:  All instruments, vocals and arrangement: Stephan Oberhoff. 
Additional percussion: Simon Carroll
Recorded at Full Circle Studio by Stephan

Many many thanks to my portuguese coaches Emiliano Ruschel and Katia Moraes!

Here is a rough translation of the lyric:

Remember me

The kisses I wrote on walls with chalk
The most beautiful ones are still there
Documenting that someone was once happy

Remember me
The two of us in the street, teasing other couples
Loving more than Love could withstand
Near here, long ago
Remember me

We always found each other in the moonlight
After playing our bodies in the sea
So wrecked and exhausted of loving

Remember me

If there is some pleasure in suffering
I want to see you - maybe I am able
Near here -or too late..

Remember me

LEMBRA DE MIM

"World of You and Me" underscores the moment in our lives when we have tried our absolute best to move on after that one love, that one love -- is lost.
  
We had just barely managed to turn a corner when something, a scent, a song on the restaurant speaker, pulled us back in and breaks that momentum, leaving us no choice but to give our heart free speech and say, as the lyric expresses, "I want it back, bring back the world of you and me."

I had the pleasure of writing this with veteran songwriter Ken Hirsch ("No one in the World"/Anita Baker, "If I Could"/Barbra Streisand and many more -- and the brilliant lyricist and singer Rosie Casey. 

This song was beautifully sung by the extremely talented Los Angeles based artist and vocalist, Liela Avila. 

(All instruments played by, arranged and produced by Stephan Oberhoff.)  Recorded at Full Circle Productions.

Photo by Terry Miller. 



WORLD OF ME AND YOU (featuring Liela Avila)

Meet the first song on the album...
"APPLAUDING THE SUNSET / APLAUDINDO O POR DO SOL"

It's inspired by beauty of the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands in the center of Brazil, which will flood for long periods each year.

Since no one can walk or drive through this precious place, I attempted to write a song to give you the wings to soar over the Pantanal and take in its breathtaking and peaceful beauty!



O PANTANAL

I heard this fascinating, syncopated rhythm for the first time at California Brazil Camp, a music immersion seminar in the redwoods which is taught by brazilian Master teachers from the Samba schools of Rio De Janeiro and other parts of this passionate country.
This very rhythm was used to fuel the intense parade as the tribal leaders get presented all through the village in a splendid and visceral celebration of life, freedom, femininity and fervor. 
This becomes especially poignant as it was also used at a time when so many africans lived in slavery in Brazil. 
For some reason, the government decided to allow them to return to their original tribal structure and to have o n e day on which they could have this parade again. Imagine, being free and able to celebrate only ONE DAY in each year of your life. Would you celebrate as if there was no tomorrow?
Maybe it is that energy that moved me to tears when I heard it for the first time. It is funkier and more syncopated than any of the samba styles and sometimes gets played by up to 100 musicians as they parade through the town. 
I was compelled to find music to write over this rhythm - you will hear how the influences of jazz and funk now have entered this particular Maracatu and how communicative drums are in Brazilian music - wait until the drum break where the whole crowd cheers: "SPIRIT OF THE MARACATU"

SPIRIT OF THE MARACATU by Stephan Oberhoff

This is my interpretation of one of the most romantic and humbly stated love songs I ever heard, written by Caetano Veloso.
My highschool sweetheart and friend Andrea K. showed it to me wayyy back in the 80's and it popped back into my head and heart a while ago - so with this song I share with you my love for Brazil, it's music and the fact that I am, deep inside, a hopeless romantic.
Enjoy the streaming music!

VOCE E LINDA Arr: Stephan Oberhoff

If you haven't seen the movie "Once Upon A Time In Rio" - please do. It takes place in Rio and portrays the love story between a white girl from a rich family who falls in love with a black boy from the favela, the infamous shantytowns, that make up a lot of the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The breathtaking attempt of the two lovers to bridge that gap highlights the chasm between the two worlds and sheds a very emotional light on both the bright side of one of the most beautiful cities on this earth, as well as it's dark side with it's extraordinary tendency to violence, often fueled by the drug cartels which control large parts of the city.

Since I personally had the privilege to live close to the beach and enjoy many new friendships and the vibrancy of this magic place called Rio de Janeiro,  I often thought of the term "Beauty And The Beast"....

Maybe the fact that it is so fiercely passionate, makes it irresistible to me.

In the song BACK TO THE FAVLEA, I have attempted to let the energy of both sides flow - the exuberant and flamboyant side of Carnival, alongside the drastically different and bitter reality of living in the Favela. "BACK TO THE FAVELA". There is lightness and seriousness,  inseparably weaving together the incredible feel of being on the amazing sandy beaches and flying up the mountains (Morros), back to a tribal Samba Bateria in the Favela.

BACK TO THE FAVELA

This is the only song I ever wrote while I was living in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A flowing handoff from bitter to sweet, the coexistence of pain and joy inside a relationship I enjoyed at the time, the song seems to accompany the flow of melody and harmony that are richer in Brazil than anywhere in the world. 

Also a rough-mix, this gem awaits the masterful touch of Bernie Grundman - which should happen at the end of 2012. They can get more polished, but the emotion is in no way compromised and 100 % present, hence my decision to upload them for your enjoyment now!

THORNS HAVE ROSES

This is a very harmonious, yet bittersweet farewell to someone who had the key to my heart for a long time. It is my musical surrender to life on life's terms, with no hurt and blame left behind, just pure love rising from these memories, making my life richer until the end of my days.
My dear friend Michael R. also once said the song connected him with the love for his kids - so there must be some purity and innocence that becomes available - some child energy for this moment in time.

I WISH YOU WELL

This is a fully orchestrated groove-oriented version of an original song I wrote my fabulous writing partner Robert Kyle. It will also be released as a Duet version once we get ready with our upcoming CD "SoundBaths".
Enjoy this rough mix - there is still some work to be done - but the emotion is there - and that is what matters most.
ALTA VISTA means Higher View, reminding us that sometimes we move upward in a spiral, seeing the same things over and over, not always being aware that our altitude (and attitude) has slightly shifted.

ALTA VISTA ruff

This track is from the album "Conversations With My Father" and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oberhoff

Conversations With My Father

This song, "FLIRTACIOUS TEASE" has an untamed, energetic groove and a playful yet complex melody line which prompted me to choose this title. Ii is currently unfinished but my Akkordeon Solo is already finished - second solo to be determined.
Check out the wild Gipsy Dancer "dueling" with Walter Rodriguez on the Cajon!
Again, the amazing Cassio Duarte joins in with us on percussion ;-)
Enjoy! 

FLIRTACIOUS TEASE

This is a wonderful vocal song I had the privilege of writing with the amazing lyricist and composer Sharon Vaughn, now rightfully inducted into the Nashville Hall Of Fame.
I began performing this song live on the road with Melissa Manchester and made this recording recently which delivers the song in an African pop groove. 
It is a song of redemption and consolation and speaks about moving on, souls coming and going in and out of our lives, and all these deep emotions that surround this cycle. 

This track is part of my new album "Applauding The Sunset" which you can hear and download on all digital outlets!


Enjoy!

SPRING KNOWS IT'S WAY BACK HOME

Multi-Instrumentalist, Award-Winning Composer, Vocalist and Producer Stephan Oberhoff enjoys a very successful and multi-faceted career in Los Angeles, Ca., as performer and producer, composer, arranger, orchestrator, sound engineer, 
Very shortly after his arrival, which was initially only intended as a 1 year stay as a full time student at the Grove School Of Music, Stephan began collaborating with internationally acclaimed artists such as Brenda Russell, Burt Bacharach, Melissa Manchester, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and numerous other iconic artists. 

Before his move to the US in 1991 Stephan garnered the coveted "GOLDEN LION" Award marking the #1 position of a high-ranking nationwide commercial success for BAHLSEN co. 

He also created (with the brilliant lyricist Evkathrin Pahnke) one of the longest running TV and radio commercials in the history of european TV and radio media: "MERCI DASS ES DICH GIBT" (Merci That There Is You) which was, during it's long run, chosen to be released as a single recording under his name, featuring Stephan's extraordinary abilities as a vocalist and composer.


His recently released Instrumental CD, "CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER", emphasizes the compositional and instrumental skill and refined production background Stephan uses to showcase his extraordinary keyboard and guitar performances, which have been amply "road-tested", performing live with Melissa Manchester, Brenda Russell, Jeffrey Osborne, Doc Powell, Everette Harp and many other Jazz and R&B greats, as well as the stellar album "PARIS RAIN" co-produced by Brenda Russell and Stephan.
His current Love affair with Brazil is documented in the new release "APPLAUDING THE SUNSET" which is scheduled for release in Fall of 2015

Learn about JASON GOULD'S groundbreaking EP "JASON GOULD".
Track the story of the song "NATURE BOY" and it's journey from creation, the album release and how it ended up on stage with Barbra Streisand. (Coming soon)

Stephan Oberhoff

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