Bossa Nova Buddies: JUNO Nominees Alex Bird, Ewen Farncombe & Cheo Turn Chance Meeting Into “Papaya”
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before Two Toronto jazzmen and a Brooklyn DJ walk into a bar. And when they all walk out, they’ve written the slap of the summer.
Okay, that’s a bit of an oversimplification. But it’s still a good thumbnail for how we got “Papaya,” the intoxicating first collaboration between Canadian national treasures of jazz Alex Bird and Ewen Farncombe and Venezuelan-born, New York-based Latin-dance giant Cheo. And boy is their story a case of being in the right place at the right time.
It all went down when Cheo arrived early for a DJ gig at Toronto’s Rivoli and decided to see who was playing at the nearby Cameron House. That turned out to be the celebrated Alex Bird and the Jazz Mavericks, featuring Bird on vocals and Farncombe on piano. Taken by what he heard, Cheo began corresponding with Bird—and before long, the three of them had written an exciting set of tunes that played to all their strengths while carving out something vibrant and distinctive in its own right.
Appropriately enough, the first fruit of their alliance we’re getting to sample is “Papaya,” which may have its roots in a chance meeting in Ontario but evokes the spirit of NYC’s famed Copacabana club in 1968. With the multi-talented Cheo on guitar and Farncombe on Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer, the track keeps up a head-bobbing, hip-swaying lilt while Bird brings pitch-perfect period enunciation to the imagery of a “dance they do/ Gettin’ way down low/ With a Bossa Beat/ Swinging to and fro.” And whoever “they” might be, they certainly seem to be having themselves a time:
Well, they wave their hands
And they flip their hair
Without a care
Goin’ with the flow
Bird and Farncombe brought in their fellow Maverick Jacob Gorzhaltsan to provide tenor sax and flute. While they were all ready, they put down a full EP, the forthcoming Casanova, Bossa Nova, Lover Man. One of the most hotly anticipated releases of summer ‘24, the record teams “Papaya” with three more songs: the title track, “All the Way Tonight” and “Lullaby for Dreaming.” The latter two were brought to the table by Cheo and then had their lyrics translated into English by Bird; the other half are Bird/Farncombe compositions with words by Bird and Cheo.
What you’ll hear is the dynamic synthesis of some seriously formidable pedigrees. Undisputed masters of modern vocal jazz, Bird and Farncombe have been nominated for two JUNOs—first with the Mavericks for 2021’s You Are the Light and the Way and more recently in the 2024 Vocal Jazz Album of the Year category for their duo recording, Songwriter. The grateful recipients of support from the Canada Council for the Arts, they also penned the country’s official Thanksgiving anthem, “The Sweetest Moments.” In their various configurations, they’re a top draw on club and concert stages across the country.
Cheo, meanwhile, has won one Latin Grammy and been nominated for another 10, in recognition of his far-ranging skills as a guitarist, songwriter, DJ, and producer. Over the course of nearly three decades, he’s woven his name tightly into the fabric of Latin music—first in his native Caracas and later in his adopted home of New York, where he performs extensively as both a solo artist and a member of numerous popular bands, including his own dance/funk outfit, Los Amigos Invisibles. He’s a vigorous collaborator whose partnership with Neil Ochoa and Alvaro Benavidez as Los Crema Paraiso yielded the 2015 album De película, later named one of the 10 best of the year by NPR. During the pandemic, his weekend DJ sets “Casaecheo” and “Bajo Perfil” were streamed to over 20,000 live viewers.
Now these highly accomplished boundary-breakers have come together to introduce us to what they call “bossa nova for the 21st century.” Based on their past triumphs and the tantalizing groove laid down on “Papaya,” they’re clearly on to something. Aren’t you glad Cheo didn’t stop into a pizza joint instead?
Hi Alex (Ewen can also answer if he’s available), good to see you again! Care to introduce yourself to the newer readers?
Thank you so much for having me back! We so appreciate Canadian Beats and your continued support of our music. Over the last few years, I’ve been able to make a name for myself on the jazz scene here and abroad alongside my piano player/songwriting partner, Ewen Farncombe, and our band “The Jazz Mavericks”. We have released 3 original albums in that time, and have been blessed to have been nominated for “Best Vocal Jazz” at the Juno Awards in 2022 & 2024. We’re just about to head into the studio for our next album; in addition to having this exciting new EP coming out.
Can you take us back to the moment when you first met at the Cameron House in Toronto? What were your initial impressions of each other?
You never know who will come to your gigs! Two Summers ago, I made my debut appearance at The Cameron House. There was a hip gentleman in the audience who just happened to stop by to catch whatever music might be on and ended up catching us. After the gig, he bought one of our albums, said his name was Cheo, and that he would be in touch. It turned out Cheo was doing a DJ set that night in town.
It further turned out that Cheo is a Latin Grammy Award winner and multiple Grammy Award nominee, who is just about the coolest cat around. Such a sweet man! He’s the founding member of one of the biggest bands to ever come out of Venezuela; disco, acid jazz, and funk band, “Los Amigos Invisibles”, discovered by David Byrne! Cheo now lives in Brooklyn, where he continues to be a force of nature and inspiration not only in Latin music but also in the vibrant dance scene. He is a legend!
At first, I was just thrilled someone liked our music enough to come not only tell me but also buy one of our records. I had no inclination of what would transpire and develop once Cheo got back in touch with me a few weeks later.
How did the idea for collaborating on “Papaya” come about after that chance meeting?
Once Cheo and I got in touch it became clear we would be collaborating on something special. He sent me a couple of his tunes that already had Spanish lyrics. I would end up writing English lyrics for them (something I’ve never done before). From the get go I also knew that I wanted to incorporate at the very least into the mix my main man, Ewen Farncombe. In addition to Cheo’s team in NYC, we also brought along our band member and fellow JUNO nominee, Jacob Gorzhaltan for some groovy sax and flute.
What was the creative process like when you started working on “Papaya”? Did you find it easy to blend your different musical backgrounds?
“Papaya” was actually a tune that I had kicking around since 2021, and I kept putting it off because I felt like the time wasn’t right to record it. When Cheo reached out I knew the right time had arrived. Worth the wait! The song wasn’t titled “Papaya” until Cheo came up with that title tag, and then it just lifted everything. Having him not only collaborate on the music but also produce it for us was extra special. Ewen and I also wrote another song for the EP, which ended up being the title of the collaboration, “Casanova, Bossa Nova, Lover Man”. Cheo brought along the great addition of the background vocals, and it really takes you away. Near the end of the song, when the Rhodes goes on a little solo section, Cheo asked me to add some sort of vocal improvisation into the mix, and that’s when I got the idea to do the “pilot voice monologue”.
It couldn’t have been easier to blend musical backgrounds on “Papaya” and on the rest of this EP. One of the things we’re trying to do with our music is keep it modern, not a product of the past. You have to acknowledge the past, but you don’t have to copy it over and over again. Cheo is supremely hip and modern. It isn’t every day someone of his calibre approaches you to write music together. Knowing that brought out some magic I think. I am also a massive massive Bossa Nova and Latin jazz fan, and I’ve always had the idea in my head of doing my own thing inspired by all that. Again, it just needed the right timing to happen. Our mutual love of the music and Cheo’s legit standing in that world made it an absolute treat to put together.
“Papaya” has been described as evoking the spirit of NYC’s Copacabana club in 1968. What inspired this particular sound and vibe?
There’s something really infectious about those late 60’s Bossa Nova-type vibes. (Listen to Steve Lawrence’s 1967 recording of “Fly Me to Rio”) There’s a different kind of grooviness in there compared to the late 50’s and early 60’s. There’s a lighter-than-air, jet-setter feeling to that period in the music that just exudes pure fun. Cheo and I must have met in a different life, sipping Papaya cocktails at The Copacabana. So many new sounds were happening in music, and this type of music really flourished before the decade was out.
“Papaya” definitely rides the line between past and present. We wanted to introduce it as both a Summer bop and a modern re-interpretation of all those old great sounds.
How do you balance honoring traditional musical styles with pushing boundaries and creating something new?
Having Cheo’s guidance and collaboration on this project automatically adds a level of legitimacy to it, beyond just us sitting down to do a Latin/Bossa-inspired EP. The balance between past and present is always behind the music I write. I’m not interested in regurgitating the past. The artists I love always tried to stay current and always tried to find new songwriters. They had immense originality because of that.
The love of this type of music, paired with the desire to explore something original created an authentic vibe to the songs. “Papaya” is a trip! I hope people keep digging it.