European Singing Star Eric Van Aro is Back with a Captivating New Jazz Album An adventurous performer, Eric

Van Aro is releasing his latest recording, Obsess ion. Lugano, Switzerland, October 08, 2013 -- Singer/songwriter/producer Eric Van Aros Obsession EP is scheduled to be released on October 18, the latest in dozens of recordings Van Aro has released, many on his Switzerland-based record company, Eraki. Multi-skilled Eric Van Aro combines his impressive singing with his activities a s a producer, as a European radio and television personality, and as the founder of his recording and production company, Eraki Entertainment. He came by his various skills via the gifts of his lineage, as the descendant of a family of musicians and artists reaching back eight generations. His mother i s the great European singing star, Caterina Valente. His father, Erik Van Aro, S r., is a German juggler and producer. Growing up with parents whose booking obli gations took them all over the world, Van Aro was primarily raised in Switzerlan d and London. My mother, says Van Aro, spoke Italian to me as a child. My father spoke German, an d the nanny we had spoke French. Add to that his exposure to English during the p eriods when the family was living in London. The net result was a cosmopolitan u pbringing that prepared him creatively, linguistically and personally for his mu sical and artistic ambitions. By the early 90s, Van Aros career had developed to the point where he was fully pr epared to introduce himself to major European audiences via his self-conceived s how, Freunde-Amici-Friends. A few years later, he was cast in the role of Captai n Von Trapp in the Swiss production of the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical , The Sound of Music. Over the past two decades, numerous Van Aro recordings preceded Obsession. Their remarkable diversity reflected his fascination with a colourful range of styles and genres embracing jazz, pop, rock, house, lounge, rap, world music and more. Obsession, however, leans more in the direction of contemporary, jazz-tinged son g. Reminiscent at times of Caterina Valentes convincing mastery of jazz and Brazi lian-driven music, it includes five tracks Im Not Anyone, Since I Fell For You Rain inary Fool and Obsession in which he is backed by the sole accompaniment of the bri lliant Italian jazz pianist Fabio Gianni. The results showcase the multi-layered depths of Van Aros skills as an interpreti ve artist. With Gianni providing an irresistible rhythmic and harmonic foundatio n, Van Aro displays the full breadth of his musical story-telling ability to ill uminate the essence of each of the songs in the Obsession program. Im Not Anyone, by Paul Anka, was included because of Van Aros fascination with the S ammy Davis, Jr. version, ever since he heard Davis sing it on a TV special in th e early 70s. Since I Fell For You has been a hit since Annie Lauries version in the 40s and, more recently, by George Benson. Once again, Van Aro uses his lyrically expressive s kills to bring it vividly to life from his own unique perspective. Rain, written and recorded by Dr. John, is remembered by Van Aro for the lush stri ng orchestration by Claus Ogerman. But this version, lacking the strings, noneth eless emerges as an equally captivating interpretation, blending Giannis superb b

acking with Van Aros intimate vocalizing. Ordinary Fool, from the 1976 musical gangster film, Bugsy Malone, was written by P aul Williams and recorded by Mel Torme. Van Aros version captures both the storytelling of the original as well as the jazz undercurrent of the Torme interpreta tion. And, once again, Giannis propulsive backing provides the exact essence of j azz vitality. With You Im Born Again. David Shires 1980 song, recorded by Billy Preston and Syreet a, is performed by Van Aro in a gently floating duet version with country singer /songwriter Sheri Pedigo. Obsession, the title song of the album, composed by Brazilian singer/songwriter Do ri Caymmi, revives the love of Brazilian music that has been present in Van Aros family since his mother, Caterina Valente, was one of the first artists to bring bossa nova to the U.S. and Europe. Dancing To The Rhythm. On the Stevie Wonder classic, Van Aro is backed mic vitality of the Iguazu Acoustic Trio, who have performed with him on recordings. The results are memorable. It does not get any better than ludes Van Aro on the liner notes for Obsession. Its what being in this k is all about. by the dyna several this, conc line of wor

Eric Van Aros future in this line of work appears to be on a definite upswing with the release of Obsession. And what becomes eminently clear with every hearing of Van Aro in action recorded and live is that he is now entering a period of impr essive musical authenticity with a strong jazz emphasis. At a time when young female singers have been dominating the jazz vocal category , Van Aro is displaying all the signs of emerging as a creatively significant ma le jazz singer. And, with the many successes of his mother, Caterina Valentes car eer serving as a model for her talented son, the skys the limit for the Van Aro f uture.- Don Heckman, International Review of Music (iRoM) Contact: Renee Carvicchio, ERAKI Entertainment, Casella Postale 91-Castagnola, S witzerland, Tel:+41-91-9663226, Fax:+41-91-9663226, rc@eraki.com, http://www.eri cvanaro.com, iTunes Catalog Link: http://tinyurl.com/mwv69kx, Source Link: http: //www.muzikreviews.com/news_ericvanaro2013.php PR Distributed By MuzikReviews.com Contact: Renee Carvicchio ERAKI Entertainment Casella Postale 91-Castagnola, Switzerland Tel:+41-91-9663226 Fax:+41-91-9663226 rc@eraki.com http://www.ericvanaro.com