Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini Reimagine Holiday Classics On ‘Brazilian Nutcracker’ Benefit EP

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini announced their second holiday EP, Brazilian Nutcracker, currently available for pre-order as a limited 7-inch vinyl via 12/23 Records with a digital release on December 5 through GroundUp Music. Once again the pair will honor Cressman’s late Trey Anastasio Band bandmate James Casey by donating all proceeds from the follow-up to An Old Fashioned Christmas to provide free colon cancer screenings to the underserved through the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatolists and Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Hope’s Clinic.

The TAB trombonist/vocalist and her partner have reworked select songs from Tchaikovsky’s famed Nutcracker Suite with a Brazilian flare for the forthcoming six-track EP. Cressman and Faquini stripped down the holiday classics and arranged them using an array of the Brazilian rhythms and musical styles that have been a hallmark of their work together.

Vinyl of Brazilian Nutcracker is limited to 300 hand-numbered copies with artwork provided by illustrator Nate Cepis. A signed pink variant is available as well as an aquamarine variant and standard pistachio option. A Natalie & Ian Bundle features copies of both Brazilian Nutcracker and An Old Fashioned Christmas.

An Old Fashioned Christmas arrived in 2023 on 12/23 Records, the record slinging arm of The Nancy Langhorne Foundation. The organization is a Virginia and Brooklyn-based nonprofit that raises money for cancer research and free cancer screenings for the underserved.

Pre-order Brazilian Nutcracker benefitting the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Hope’s Clinic.

Natalie Cressman is currently on tour with the Trey Anastasio Band. The outfit debuted a trifecta of Trey originals this past weekend during their tour-opening two-night stand at Denver’s Mission Ballroom.

Brazilian Nutcracker Tracklist

1. March
2. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
3. Chocolate (Spanish Dance)
4. Tea (Chinese Dance)
5. Dance of the Mirlitons
6. Trepak