O Sister! is a tribute to the North American popular music from the 1920s and 30s, and in particular, to the golden ages of “Dixie” and “Swing”. The Boswell Sisters, the band’s main artistic influence, were a groundbreaking female vocal jazz trio perhaps not as popular as they deserved to be, in spite of being imitated by many later vocal jazz groups and admired by artists as important as Ella Fitzgerald herself. It was the surprisingly modern way, despite the years gone by, in which The Boswell Sisters approached the use of harmony, rhythm and vocal resources that encouraged singer Paula Padilla to start the project in 2007.
Since then the band has focused mainly on two lines of work: researching a relatively unknown repertoire from the early stages of jazz, of great interest both for its melodic qualities and for its lyrics; and arranging with vocal harmonies the“standard” songs and classics from the Golden Age of Swing which cannot be found in three voice-part versions on recordings.
But none of this work would make sense without offering this music in live performance, the way it took place back in the 30s, in theatres, clubs, or even in the street. O Sister! updates that syle and brings it to wider audiences, not only to the usual jazz connoisseur, recuperating an open, spontaneous, direct and fun way of understanding the musical experience; so necessary nowadays, when the social situation too easily reminds us
of life during the famous Great Depression.
The Singers
Helena, Paula and Marcos have spent many years singing together in various vocal and choral ensembles. During this time they have developed a solid vocal technique and an ease for blending their voices. In both joint and individual projects they have tackled repertoires ranging from Early to Contemporary music, lyric, jazz, bossa or pop-rock music. Ee three currently also form part of Proyecto Ele, a voice and electronics ensemble
exploring modern vocal and experimental music, with a long list of shows and performances.
Helena Amado | Soprano
Born in Seville, where she studied classical guitar and graduated in musical teaching. Helena combines a sweet and flexible soprano voice with a gi] for comedy. She is currently studying singing at the Madrid Conservatory Conservatory.
Marcos Padilla | Tenor
Born in Seville, Marcos studied viola but finally his instrument was the guitar. He has an agile tenor voice with a wide range and an ease for falsetto.
His timbre adapts perfectly to popular sYles like jazz, blues and western-swing.
Paula Padilla | Alto
Born in Seville and graduated in Fine Arts, Paula sings and plays the ukulele. For 7 years she was the vocalist of “Solina”, a pop group. Founding member of O Sister!, she also does the vocal arrangements and the graphic designs for the group’s albums.
The Musicians
Matías Comino | Guitar
He was born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) but has lived in Seville since 1990. Guitarist and composer, he also teaches guitar, modern harmony and jazz. He is the main musical arranger for O Sister! and has lately specialised in the “manouche” guitar technique.
Pablo Cabra | Drums
Born in Madrid, Pablo moved to Seville in 1982. A self-taught drummer, his interest in various sYles has given him flexibiliY, technical dexteriY and a natural talent for collective work. He also plays with the rock-pop groups “Sr. Chinarro” and “Maga”.
Camilo Bosso | Bass
Born in London (UK) Camilo has lived in Madrid since 1978. A bass player with both classical and modern training, he also plays keyboards. He has formed part of classical, jazz, folk and tango groups and is also a member of the group “Las Buenas Noches”.
The Albums
On their records, the band has always wanted to be faithful to the way early jazz was captured. Thus, the recording process has always been carried out strictly live, with all musicians playing at the same time and in the same room, in the pure early style of recording. In doing so, O Sister! tries to catch in their albums the same freshness and spontaneity that they deliver in their concerts. The band has released three albums under the label Discóbolo: “Crazy People”, “Shout Sister!”, and “Spooky Sessions”; all of which were recorded and mixed at producer and musician Jordi Gil’s Sputnik studio in Seville.
On these albums, the ensemble has enjoyed the contributions of excellent musicians such as pianist Ángel Andrés Muñoz (a regular collaborator), clarinet player Juli Aymí, trumpet player Dani Cano or manouche guitarist Paul Laborda, among many others.
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