Jesse Witney’s debut album Animal Cities was recorded between Estúdio Carolina in Rio de Janeiro, incorporating the skills of some of Brazil’s finest musicians and Bighouse Sound Studio in Melbourne, Australia. With world rhythms, Brazilian influences, jazzy chords, quality song writing, catchy melodies and a magnetic charisma, Jesse Witney sets off to carve his own niche into the musical landscape as a Brazilian infused world-roots artist, inspired by ‘Música Popular Brasiliera’ with its eclectic rhythms and romantic vocals, made famous in the 1970's with artists such as the revered Jorge Ben Jor and Vinicus de Moraes.
Animal Cities presents original compositions, including the album focus track the eminently catchy, ‘Teresa Teresinha’, which sounds like a retro Brazilian samba folk song. Sun drenched, beachy and laid back, the listener is transported to a beach in Rio, sipping a chilled Caipirinha. It’s gloriously nostalgic and seductive. Witney’s sweet voice lays right back off the vocal with relaxed authenticity and the earworm chorus is sure to hook you.
Teresa Teresinha, was originally penned walking the pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago, through northern Spain in 2016. A chance encounter with a musical and enthusiastic Italian girl, sparked an immediate friendship, and not long after walking together, they started jamming on Brazilian influenced melodies. Teresa sang ‘la la ya la la ya la la ya la la ya’, to which Jesse immediately recorded lyrics into his ipod, and later that day, on the rustic acoustic guitar he had bought in Toulouse, he wrote the harmony and remaining melodies for the song. He also twisted the arm of Teresa to write a verse in Spanish, and by the end of the day, the song had been written.
Previous singles lifted from this long-player are ‘The Darkness’ & ‘Mumma’. The latter dropped just prior to the album release.
Musically, the song is in the style of Samba, however there are other Latin elements, like congas and percussive guitar rhythm, which lend themselves to other genres such as Rumba and Son. Instrumentally, the song has Nylon string guitar, Clarinet, Bandolim (Brazilian Mandolin), Lead and Backing vocals in Portuguese and Spanish, and a range of percussion, including Pandeiro, Cowbell, Congas, Repique, Surdo and Tamborim. The lead vocals were recorded in the same take as the Bandolim, and were sung into an Sm57 as a guide track. It was virtually impossible to capture the same energy and magic as that take, so they were chosen as the final vocal.
Witney also sings in English, entering the realm of DanceHall Roots Reggae with a heart-felt ode to Mother Earth, Mumma. The Darkness and The System show Witney pushing into 1970’s Prog-Rock territory, with driving rhythms, and the rarest of commodities in today's pop market – guitar solos – drenched in 1970’s treatments that conjure early Pink Floyd. There’ll be Days, and The Captain reveals Witney’s talent for simple acoustic songs, lyrically disarming, here he resembles Cat Stevens or Ben Harper, but with an undeniable ache in his vocal that draws in the listener and at times feels powerfully intimate. Witney has a dynamic vocal range and a powerful singing style that brings to mind the melodic soul of Jeff Buckley. He can hold the space between frailty and power, breaking your heart one moment and mending it the next.
“Recording in Brazil was a huge bucket list moment for me. It was an empowering experience; something that I’d wanted to do for a long time. I’m grateful for my supporters and backers, and also for my Brazilian producer, Marcelo Müller, who made the whole thing seamless, and most importantly, sound amazing”, says Witney.
Animal Cities Album Credits
Released March 10th 2023
Executive Producer: Robyn Hicks
Tracks
1. Mumma
3. Teresa Teresinha
5. Mama Maya
6. Ao Seu Redor
12. O Milagre
Were produced by Marcelo Müller, Thomas Mitchell & Jesse Witney. Recorded in Rio De Janeiro, at Estúdio Carolina in October 2018.
Tracks
2. The Darkness
4. There’ll be days
8. The System
9. Apple of my eye
10. You’re the only one
Were produced by Thomas Mitchell and Jesse Witney. Recorded at Bighouse Sound Studio in Coburg North, Melbourne in 2018, 2019 and 2020. There’ll be days Piano accordion recorded in Brazil and arranged by Marcelo Müller.
Track s
7. The Captain
11. Trees
Were produced by Jesse Witney. String arrangement on The Captain by Marcelo Müller.
All songs written by Jesse Witney, apart from;
Teresa Teresinha – Jesse Witney & Teresa Bertoni
Mama Maya – Jesse Witney, Jaspar Gubbay, Hal Strewe & Thomas Mitchell
O Milagre – Jesse Witney & Marcelo Garcia
Recording Credits:
Mumma –
Guitar & Vocals – Jesse Witney
Drums – Thomas Mitchell
Bass – Marcelo Müller
Wurlitzer – Pedro Guinu
Baritone Saxophone – Henrique Band
Trombone – Antonio Moraes Neves
Trumpet – Aquiles Moraes
Horn Arrangement – Marcelo Müller
Mix – Nick Herrera
Master - King Willy
The Darkness -
Tenor Ukelele, Slide Guitar & Vocals – Jesse Witney
Drums – Nick Martyn
Bass – Jules Pascoe
Synth – Thomas Mitchell
Mix – Scott French
Master – King Willy
Teresa Teresinha –
Nylon String Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Percussion – Bernardo Aguiar
Bandolim – Pedro Franco
Clarinet – Lucas Brito
Cavaquinho – Gabriel Menezes
Spanish Vocals – Paulina Viroga
Backing Vocals – Ellen Burbidge
Arrangement – Marcelo Müller
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy
There’ll be days –
Nylon String Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Piano Accordion – Marcelo Caldi
Double Bass – Jordan Tarento
Percussion – Bernardo Aguiar
Trumpet – Nic Ryan-Glenie
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Boon
Trombone – Conor McIndoe
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy
Mama Maya –
Nylon/Electric Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Backing Vocals – Juman
Bass Guitar – Marcelo Müller
Rhodes & Wurlitzer – Pedro Guinu
Drums – Thomas Mitchell
Percussion – Bernardo Aguiar
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy
Ao Seu Redor –
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Lead & Backing Vocals – Jesse Witney
Electronic Samples – Thomas Mitchell
Bass Guitar – Marcelo Müller
Drums – Thomas Mitchell
Synth & Rhodes – Pedro Guinu
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy
The Captain –
Acoustic Guitar & Vocals – Jesse Witney
1st & 2nd Violin – Ayran Nicodemo
Viola – Daniel Albuquerque
Cello - Maria Clara Valle
Mix – Nick Herrera
Master – King Willy
The System –
Electric Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Drums – Nick Martyn
Percussion – Thomas Mitchell
Bass – Jules Pascoe
BV’s – Hannah Macklin
Trumpet – Nic Ryan-Glenie
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Boon
Trombone – Conor McIndoe
Mix – James Chandler
Master – King Willy
Apple of my eye –
Electric Guitar/Synth/Percussion & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Drums – Nick Martyn
Bass – Jules Pascoe
Mix – Tércio Marques & Thomas Mitchell
Master – King Willy
You’re the only one –
Electric Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Drums – Nick Martyn
Percussion – Thomas Mitchell
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy
Trees –
Nature Sounds – Upper Main Arm
Words – Jesse Witney
Mix – Jesse Witney
Master – King Willy
O Milagre –
Nylon Guitar & Lead Vocals – Jesse Witney
Cavaquinho – Gabriel Menezes
Percussion – Bernardo Aguiar
Backing Vocals – Juman
Synth Bass – Pedro Guinu
Flute – Lucas Brito
Mix – Tércio Marques
Master – King Willy