Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on November 13, 2025
Natalie Cressman, trombonist and vocalist of Trey Anastasio Band, and her partner, guitarist Ian Faquini, have teamed up with nonprofit The Nancy Langhorne Foundation to release Brazilian Nutcracker, a limited-edition Christmas EP dedicated to fighting cancer. All proceeds will be donated to provide free colon cancer screenings for underserved communities through the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and Eastern Virginia Medical School’s Hopes Clinic, in memory of the late saxophonist James Casey.
On Brazilian Nutcracker, Cressman and Faquini reimagine select songs from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite through the rhythms and colors of Brazilian music. Traditionally performed through orchestra and ballet, these cherished melodies are transformed by the duo’s inventive arrangements, blending samba, bossa nova, and choro to honor Tchaikovsky’s enduring magic while infusing it with a soulful, tropical energy.
The 7-inch EP is limited to just 300 hand-numbered copies, featuring artwork by illustrator Nate Cepis. Variants include a standard pistachio edition, an aquamarine variant, and a signed pink edition that comes with a collectible sticker sheet based on the cover art. There are no plans to repress — once they’re gone, they’re gone. Vinyl will be available exclusively at 1223Records.com starting Thursday, November 13 at 12 PM EST, with the digital release arriving December 5 via GroundUp Music.
12/23 Records, the record-slinging arm of The Nancy Langhorne Foundation, is a Virginia- and Brooklyn-based nonprofit that raises funds for cancer research and free screenings for the underserved. Since 2017, the organization has raised and donated more than $85,000 to institutions such as Eastern Virginia Medical School, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Sloan Kettering, and the Medical College of Virginia through their record sales and annual benefit concerts in Norfolk, VA.
This isn’t Cressman and Faquini’s first collaboration with the foundation — they previously released Old Fashioned Christmas in 2023. Other 12/23 Records projects have included cancer-fighting holiday releases by Grahame Lesh (2024), guitarist DJ Williams (2021, 2023), and the Xmas in VA compilation (2024) featuring artists like Kendall Street Company, Todd Herrington, and Dusty Ray Simmons of Cris Jacobs Band, along with members of Butcher Brown. In 2022, the label released A Little Something for Everyone with saxophonist James Casey, who passed away in 2023 from colon cancer. This new record is dedicated to his memory.
Track Listing:
1. March
2. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
3. Chocolate (Spanish Dance)
4. Tea (Chinese Dance)
5. Dance of the Mirlitons
6. Trepak
Websites:
1223Records.com – store
NancyLanghorneFoundation.com – nonprofit website
NatalieCressman.com – artist website
IanFaquini.com – artist website
