INNER SONG     

PRESS SUMMARY

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    Brazilian pianist Luciano Leães releases Inner Song, the first single from his upcoming album New Orleans Sessions, developed in collaboration with Positive Vibrations, the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and Arco Cultural.

    Recorded in New Orleans with musicians deeply rooted in the city’s musical tradition — including Terence Higgins (drums), Cornell Williams (bass), John Fohl (guitar), and Jason Mingledorff (saxophones) — the track reflects over a decade of performances, studio work, and creative exchange between New Orleans and South America.

    In recent years, Leães strengthened his relationship with Jake Eckert, owner of Rhythm Shack Studios, where the sessions took place. Alongside Tom Worrell, he played a key role in enabling the recording process.

    Rooted in Leães’ trajectory, Inner Song — and the album New Orleans Sessions — is driven by the pulse of New Orleans music and shaped through a dialogue between cultures, without forced fusion. Brazilian percussionist Tuti Rodrigues, a longtime collaborator and Latin Grammy–winning producer, expands this exchange by bringing South American rhythmic elements into the core of the track.

    Moving through soul, funk, jazz, and R&B without settling into a single form, the music maintains a distinct identity — integrating the New Orleans piano tradition with a South American perspective.

    Rather than relying on direct quotation, a lineage of references — from Professor Longhair to D'Angelo, alongside Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Johnny Guitar Watson, Tim Maia, and Dom Salvador — is absorbed into the language itself, not just as explicit homage, but as part of its construction.

More than referencing a style, Inner Song speaks from within it. The music comes first — the sound leads.
 

About the New Orleans Sessions:
 

“The Brazilian Professor has taken firm steps towards the funky church of

New Orleans. His upcoming album connects us to the heritage of the
grooves of The Meters, Dr. John and Allen Toussaint,
-TOM WORRELL
(Pianist and musical producer)
 

“It was a joy to work with Luciano in the studio
during his visits to New Orleans. Luciano is a very genuine musician
and approaches New Orleans music with mastery, love, and respect. I’ve had
thepleasure of working with him here on several occasions. He will always have
a seat at the Rhythm Shack Studio.”
-JAKE ECKERT
(Music producer and guitarist)
 

“What a great session we had with Luciano — he’s the man.
I see him as one of the great musicians of our time. I love his music and his devotion
to New Orleans music. He calls upon the giants of the past through his own music.”
-TERENCE HIGGINS
(Drummer)
 

“It was a pleasure meeting Luciano. The musical vision he
brought tothe studio makes the work easier for the musicians.
Luciano exudes a contagious vibe.It’s a pleasure working with him.”
-CORNELL WILLIAMS
(Bass player)

 

ABOUT THE SONG
 

Inner Song is built around a simple idea: trusting the inner impulse — the groove that shapes direction from within. It reflects a belief in both individual voice and collective energy as a way of moving forward and creating meaning.
 

Musically, the track draws from the rhythmic connection between New Orleans and South American traditions, articulated through Leães’ piano. It blends soul, funk, jazz, and R&B into a groove that feels lived-in rather than constructed, shaped by the interplay of musicians responding in real time to the composition and its arrangements.
 

The piano is not positioned as a dominant voice, but as a connector — interacting with musicians who carry this tradition in their playing.
 

This is not an attempt to recreate a sound, but the result of being inside it.
 

QUICK FACTS
 

• Artist: Luciano Leães

• Single: Inner Song

• Release Date: May 5

• Recorded in: New Orleans, USA and Porto Alegre, Brasil

• Studios: Rhythm Shack Studios and Arco Music Studios.

• Genres: Soul / R&B / Jazz / Funk / New Orleans piano.

• Distribution: OneRPM