CHIAMUSIC • MARTIN VEJARANO

PRYANIKI By Martin Vejarano

Story behind the melody: Many years ago I went to visit my dear friend Anna Azaryeva to her native Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides all the amazing experiences and people I met, one little cookie caught my attention; Pryaniki, the Russian biscuit! Me being a cookie monster all my life (currently trying to avoid eating them as much) fell in love with this ginger/cinnamon baked treat. On my way back home and with my heart and mind filled with love and sweet memories, I wrote this melodies in G minor. Today I want to dedicate it again to Anna and her young and wonderful Brazilian/Russian/New Yorker family as well as to her loving parents and sister. I originally recorded this piece with my band CHIA's Dance Party for our first album “La Miel”. We performed it at every concert and our audiences always danced to it with grace and passion. I am happy to share this new version featuring my dear friend and accomplice Tito Duarte on guitar and myself on clarinet and pandeiro. We recorded the infamous one-take-for-the-camera and also made a video of us wandering around NYC’s great Russian neighborhood, Brighton Beach Brooklyn. Then we bought some Pryaniki and went to my apartment for a tea & cookies party. For the record, the tea we drink in the video is Russian, too. Big thanks to my love and partner in life Sonia De Los Santos who operated the camera, provided art props, aesthetics advice and drove us back and forth. Martín.