My once-close friend, Pablo Arrieta, chose to omit my name from this album. Unfortunately, these things do happen in the music industry.

That said, it was an incredible honor to have met and collaborated with the legendary Nana Vasconcelos. I arranged all the music on this album, contributing my trumpet performances as well. I also assisted Pablo in refining his compositions, even incorporating my chord changes from "The Other Side of The Odds" into "Lebanesa."

The loss of Nana Vasconcelos is far greater and more profound than any disappointment over uncredited work or unpaid contributions. It saddens me, however, to reflect on the effort I invested in helping Pablo earn his master's degree—a task initially resisted by the director of Jazz Studies, though that decision now feels more understandable.

Despite everything, I deeply admire Pablo's compositions, and Nana Vasconcelos remains pure magic, as always.

Enjoy the music!

With love and peace, Volker



Recorded in 2003, Recife, Brazil