Pianist Marc Copland Levitates to Greatness

Recorded last year at Pirouet's Munich studios, Marc Copland's Another Place is the first in a triptych series called "New York Trio Recordings" that has the onetime alto sax player making his case as a top American jazz pianist. Accompanied by guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Billy Hart -- the same lineup that coalesced around 1996's Second Look (Savoy) -- Copland makes a convincing argument. Together the established jazzmen inhabit a rich sonic landscape ranging from the ethereal to the supple and probe terrains beyond the horizon. The seven-track disc opens with Copland's "Like You" as a sparse number that begins to build in heightened intensity between piano and Abercrombie's guitar. It's an intricate conversation that reveals how years of playing together have allowed Copeland and Abercrombie to compliment each other in symbiotic improvisation. "River Bend" is an Abercrombie composition that begins with an atmospheric intro and segues into urgent piano progressions, stampeding drum rolls, and quasi psychedelic, hypnotic guitar flourishes that hint at Abercrombie's progressive, rock-influenced background. When things start to get a little trippy Copland's piano reigns in the rambling explorations by reverting to straight-ahead jazz lines. Of course the whole thing ends in controlled storming, with Hart smashing the cymbals and plodding staccato thwacks around Copland's chord crescendos and Abercrombie's lightning-fingered riffing. Midway things cool down a bit with "Dark Horse," a Drew Gress composition with subdued shades tinged in melancholy and bordering on the sublime. "Car Blue Lady," veers into a midtempo, finger-snapping groove sustained by sizzled drum loops and Copland and Abercrombie's tightly-crafted give and take. Next up the title track "Another Place," really showcases Copland's prowess on the piano. The disc ends with legendary songwriter Cole Porter's "Everything I Love" (1941). A standard from the American Songbook, it's given sanguine treatment in a translucent interpretation that lays the groundwork for some amazing discs to follow.

Pianist Marc Copland Levitates to Greatness

Recorded last year at Pirouet's Munich studios, Marc Copland's Another Place is the first in a triptych series called "New York Trio Recordings" that has the onetime alto sax player making his case as a top American jazz pianist. Accompanied by guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Billy Hart -- the same lineup that coalesced around 1996's Second Look (Savoy) -- Copland makes a convincing argument. Together the established jazzmen inhabit a rich sonic landscape ranging from the ethereal to the supple and probe terrains beyond the horizon. The seven-track disc opens with Copland's "Like You" as a sparse number that begins to build in heightened intensity between piano and Abercrombie's guitar. It's an intricate conversation that reveals how years of playing together have allowed Copeland and Abercrombie to compliment each other in symbiotic improvisation. "River Bend" is an Abercrombie composition that begins with an atmospheric intro and segues into urgent piano progressions, stampeding drum rolls, and quasi psychedelic, hypnotic guitar flourishes that hint at Abercrombie's progressive, rock-influenced background. When things start to get a little trippy Copland's piano reigns in the rambling explorations by reverting to straight-ahead jazz lines. Of course the whole thing ends in controlled storming, with Hart smashing the cymbals and plodding staccato thwacks around Copland's chord crescendos and Abercrombie's lightning-fingered riffing. Midway things cool down a bit with "Dark Horse," a Drew Gress composition with subdued shades tinged in melancholy and bordering on the sublime. "Car Blue Lady," veers into a midtempo, finger-snapping groove sustained by sizzled drum loops and Copland and Abercrombie's tightly-crafted give and take. Next up the title track "Another Place," really showcases Copland's prowess on the piano. The disc ends with legendary songwriter Cole Porter's "Everything I Love" (1941). A standard from the American Songbook, it's given sanguine treatment in a translucent interpretation that lays the groundwork for some amazing discs to follow.

Jorge Ben Jor Was Timeless at Miami's JVC Jazz Fest

Photo By Liliam Dominguez
www.liliamdominguez.com/

Jorge Ben Jor has always been ahead of his time. Moving freely between movements without ever committing fully to any one, he's done things his own way for more than four decades. A prominent figure in Brazilian music with more than thirty albums under his belt, Ben Jor is the country's most chameleonic singer/songwriter and one of its greatest musical alchemists. He is without a doubt every bit the urban poet he rightly claims to be. From the very beginning, during the early sixties' bossa nova boom, Ben Jor set himself apart, spurning the hushed cool of bossa in favor of a funkier, groove-driven hybrid. His first record, 1963's Samba Esquema Novo, which he so graciously signed backstage after his recent show in Miami, is a collection of swinging sambas melded with jazz horns, rock, funk, and rhythm and blues. The first track, "Mas Que Nada," has been covered more than 200 times by a panoply of artists around the globe and likely predated the Brazilian soul sound, minus the overt political edge, that would launch the Black Rio movement of the seventies. After bossa nova faded out Ben Jor contributed to the rock-infused Jovem Guarda scene and then later gave the Tropicália movement its Afro-Carioca injection. With the passing of each new wave of music in Brazil, Ben Jor has remained vital and culturally resonant among his peers and younger generations. A furiously eclectic songwriter, he continues to concoct bewitching brews that are never formulaic. His songs celebrate life, soccer, sexuality, carnaval, science, existentialism, Rio, beautiful women, and the historic black figures of Brazil (Zumbi and Xica da Silva, amongst others) who have blurred the line between myth and reality.

During the recent JVC Jazz Fest at Miami's Bayfront Park Amphitheater Ben Jor shared the bill with R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, Grammy-nominated artist Ledisi, and Sergio Mendes -- another Brazilian great. Ben Jor pounded out hit after hit song backed by a tight, seven-piece ensemble, A Banda do Ze Pretinho. To my delight and surprise he opened the set with the quirky "O Homem da Gravata Florida" ("The Man With the Floral Tie"), his homage to a medieval alchemist named Teofrasto Paracelso, infused by soulful sax and trumpet. The song is from one of my favorite albums, the awesomely mind bending, psychedelic, esoteric, and cosmic A Tábua de Esmeralda. Though it came a little late, in 1974 to be exact, it was Brazil's response to The Beatle's Sgt. Pepper and The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds. Next Ben Jor turned up the funk with "A Banda do Ze Pretinho," blending pulsing rhythms anchored in taut basslines. It was followed by the more melodic "Santa Clara Clareou," which segued into the wah-wah groove of "A Minha Menina," a song covered in the sixties by Sao Paulo band Os Mutantes and a few years ago by Brit outfit A Band of Bees. Of course there was "Mas Que Nada," which climaxed into a polyrhythmic explosion as all band members engaged in a percussive samba school rumble, pounding hand-held tamborims in unison with sticks. "Zumbi" was retrofitted as a reggae accented by the chekere and "País Tropical" took off on the synergy with some blues-rock riffs delivered by Ben Jor himself. The living legend ended his hour long set with the sultry "Spyro Gira" reminding fans that above all his jeito is gostoso and that music should start at the hips before penetrating the soul.

Jorge Ben Jor Was Timeless at Miami's JVC Jazz Fest

Photo By Liliam Dominguez
www.liliamdominguez.com/

Jorge Ben Jor has always been ahead of his time. Moving freely between movements without ever committing fully to any one, he's done things his own way for more than four decades. A prominent figure in Brazilian music with more than thirty albums under his belt, Ben Jor is the country's most chameleonic singer/songwriter and one of its greatest musical alchemists. He is without a doubt every bit the urban poet he rightly claims to be. From the very beginning, during the early sixties' bossa nova boom, Ben Jor set himself apart, spurning the hushed cool of bossa in favor of a funkier, groove-driven hybrid. His first record, 1963's Samba Esquema Novo, which he so graciously signed backstage after his recent show in Miami, is a collection of swinging sambas melded with jazz horns, rock, funk, and rhythm and blues. The first track, "Mas Que Nada," has been covered more than 200 times by a panoply of artists around the globe and likely predated the Brazilian soul sound, minus the overt political edge, that would launch the Black Rio movement of the seventies. After bossa nova faded out Ben Jor contributed to the rock-infused Jovem Guarda scene and then later gave the Tropicália movement its Afro-Carioca injection. With the passing of each new wave of music in Brazil, Ben Jor has remained vital and culturally resonant among his peers and younger generations. A furiously eclectic songwriter, he continues to concoct bewitching brews that are never formulaic. His songs celebrate life, soccer, sexuality, carnaval, science, existentialism, Rio, beautiful women, and the historic black figures of Brazil (Zumbi and Xica da Silva, amongst others) who have blurred the line between myth and reality.

During the recent JVC Jazz Fest at Miami's Bayfront Park Amphitheater Ben Jor shared the bill with R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, Grammy-nominated artist Ledisi, and Sergio Mendes -- another Brazilian great. Ben Jor pounded out hit after hit song backed by a tight, seven-piece ensemble, A Banda do Ze Pretinho. To my delight and surprise he opened the set with the quirky "O Homem da Gravata Florida" ("The Man With the Floral Tie"), his homage to a medieval alchemist named Teofrasto Paracelso, infused by soulful sax and trumpet. The song is from one of my favorite albums, the awesomely mind bending, psychedelic, esoteric, and cosmic A Tábua de Esmeralda. Though it came a little late, in 1974 to be exact, it was Brazil's response to The Beatle's Sgt. Pepper and The Beach Boy's Pet Sounds. Next Ben Jor turned up the funk with "A Banda do Ze Pretinho," blending pulsing rhythms anchored in taut basslines. It was followed by the more melodic "Santa Clara Clareou," which segued into the wah-wah groove of "A Minha Menina," a song covered in the sixties by Sao Paulo band Os Mutantes and a few years ago by Brit outfit A Band of Bees. Of course there was "Mas Que Nada," which climaxed into a polyrhythmic explosion as all band members engaged in a percussive samba school rumble, pounding hand-held tamborims in unison with sticks. "Zumbi" was retrofitted as a reggae accented by the chekere and "País Tropical" took off on the synergy with some blues-rock riffs delivered by Ben Jor himself. The living legend ended his hour long set with the sultry "Spyro Gira" reminding fans that above all his jeito is gostoso and that music should start at the hips before penetrating the soul.

Luaka Bop's Brazil Classics Series Never Gets Old

Anytime David Byrne gets the chance, he pays homage to Brazilian music by releasing compilations on his Luaka Bop label that document the South American country's rich and varied musical legacy. From samba to forro, bossa nova to Tropicália, and recently an album featuring innovative artists from Pernambuco's mangue beat scene, for 20 years the Brazil Classics series has demonstrated Byrne's keen insight into what's brewing in Brazil -- past and present. Of course if he has any doubts he can always call up his friend Caetano Veloso. The latest in the series is "Brazil Classics at 20: Anti-Aging Solutions Revealed” a collection of crucial cuts from previous Brazil Classics compilations, seven in all. The ten-track album is being released in a limited edition vinyl format and digitally with some extra tunes. The record opens with Brazilian funk master Jorge Ben Jor and his "Ponta de Lança Africano," a paean to futbol player Umbabarauma that rides on the wave of Ben Jor's mighty riff and hypnotic percussion. Tropicália experimentalist Tom Zé follows suit with "MA" and MPB icon Chico Buarque chimes in with "Caçada," a forro-inspired tune he wrote in the early 70s. "Brazil Classics at 20" also showcases newer mainstays Lenine and Marisa Monte, along with other classic heavyweights such as Luiz Gonzaga, Maria Bethania, and Gilberto Gil. If listening to good music is a key to longevity, this is a record no Brazilian music lover should be without.

Luaka Bop's Brazil Classics Series Never Gets Old

Anytime David Byrne gets the chance, he pays homage to Brazilian music by releasing compilations on his Luaka Bop label that document the South American country's rich and varied musical legacy. From samba to forro, bossa nova to Tropicália, and recently an album featuring innovative artists from Pernambuco's mangue beat scene, for 20 years the Brazil Classics series has demonstrated Byrne's keen insight into what's brewing in Brazil -- past and present. Of course if he has any doubts he can always call up his friend Caetano Veloso. The latest in the series is "Brazil Classics at 20: Anti-Aging Solutions Revealed” a collection of crucial cuts from previous Brazil Classics compilations, seven in all. The ten-track album is being released in a limited edition vinyl format and digitally with some extra tunes. The record opens with Brazilian funk master Jorge Ben Jor and his "Ponta de Lança Africano," a paean to futbol player Umbabarauma that rides on the wave of Ben Jor's mighty riff and hypnotic percussion. Tropicália experimentalist Tom Zé follows suit with "MA" and MPB icon Chico Buarque chimes in with "Caçada," a forro-inspired tune he wrote in the early 70s. "Brazil Classics at 20" also showcases newer mainstays Lenine and Marisa Monte, along with other classic heavyweights such as Luiz Gonzaga, Maria Bethania, and Gilberto Gil. If listening to good music is a key to longevity, this is a record no Brazilian music lover should be without.

Esperanza Spalding Makes Jazz Hip Again

Anyone who loves jazz and contemplates its future should become acquainted with Esperanza Spalding. Wise for her 23 years, this former child prodigy is the new face of jazz -- multicultural, hip, innovative, full of poise, and crazy talented. A vocalist, bass player, composer, and bandleader, Spalding is bridging the gap between jazz and her generation. Her self-titled sophomore album and international debut on Heads Up offers a very cool and fresh take on contemporary jazz as both a free-flowing and tightly structured form that lends itself to an amalgam of styles spread across neo-soul pop structures, lilting Brazilian grooves, rhythmic Afro-Cuban swing, and truckloads of originality. Set for worldwide release on May 20, the twelve tracks are a combination of compositions Spalding herself penned, others culled from the Brazilian songbook, and some American jazz standards. Words seems trite in describing Spalding's dynamism in the studio and onstage. I will say this: She's accompanied by some stellar, international musicians. Spanish flamenco guitarist Niño Josele, Cuban jazz drummer El Negro Hernandez, percussionist Jamey Haddad, and saxophonist Donald Harrison, amongst others, are some of the luminaries that embellish the disc. If this is only the beginning for Spalding, imagine what the future holds.

Esperanza Spalding Makes Jazz Hip Again

Anyone who loves jazz and contemplates its future should become acquainted with Esperanza Spalding. Wise for her 23 years, this former child prodigy is the new face of jazz -- multicultural, hip, innovative, full of poise, and crazy talented. A vocalist, bass player, composer, and bandleader, Spalding is bridging the gap between jazz and her generation. Her self-titled sophomore album and international debut on Heads Up offers a very cool and fresh take on contemporary jazz as both a free-flowing and tightly structured form that lends itself to an amalgam of styles spread across neo-soul pop structures, lilting Brazilian grooves, rhythmic Afro-Cuban swing, and truckloads of originality. Set for worldwide release on May 20, the twelve tracks are a combination of compositions Spalding herself penned, others culled from the Brazilian songbook, and some American jazz standards. Words seems trite in describing Spalding's dynamism in the studio and onstage. I will say this: She's accompanied by some stellar, international musicians. Spanish flamenco guitarist Niño Josele, Cuban jazz drummer El Negro Hernandez, percussionist Jamey Haddad, and saxophonist Donald Harrison, amongst others, are some of the luminaries that embellish the disc. If this is only the beginning for Spalding, imagine what the future holds.

Discover Eddie Allen and Salongo

I have to be honest. I had never heard of New York jazz trumpeter Eddie Allen. Come to think of it there are tons of working jazz musicians I haven't heard of. Mostly sidemen who have been working the ropes and then emerge seemingly out of nowhere, when in fact they'd been honing their skills and paying their dues all along. Eddie Allen is one of those underdogs, except that now he directs several different projects, none of which have garnered the media attention they deserve. The cat's been playing since the 70s, working his way up from Milwaukee to the Big Apple, where he's worked with such legends as hard bop drummer Art Blakey, bebop brass bohemian Dizzy Gillespie, avant-garde bandleader Henry Threadgill, and pioneering percussionist Mongo Santamaria, among others, no doubt taking it all in. In 1994 Allen struck out on his own with a quintet and an album titled Remembrance. One of his latest ensembles, Salongo, is a seven-piece Afro-Cuban-Brazilian group that has a four-pronged approach to jazz. The outfit combines the late congero legend Mongo Santamaria's rhythmic latticework, with Brazilian beats and sense of time, the harmonic concepts of contemporary jazz, and the commercial veneer of Santana. Crisp lines and smooth improvisation immediately came to mind when I listened to Salongo's self-titled debut. Allen is a well-versed player with an astonishing emotional range which he fully takes advantage of in the setting of a three-piece horn section -- comprised of himself, Bruce Williams on alto sax and flute, and Teodross Avery on tenor sax. The nine-track disc appropriately opens with "Brasilian Sunset," a laidback groove with Deigo Rivera keeping time with a samba-like backbeat on drums, and Hector Martignon infusing elegance on the piano. "Being Here With You" displays Afro-Cuban cadence on piano and sputtering congas. While "Nymph of Sudan," is the hands-down gem of the album. Midway, "Touch" exudes downtempo sensuality. Salongo wraps up the exquisite jaunt with "Just So You Know," on which the group's keen attention to detail is reiterated. This album is a seamless whole where every piece of the puzzle has its place -- just so you know.

Discover Eddie Allen and Salongo

I have to be honest. I had never heard of New York jazz trumpeter Eddie Allen. Come to think of it there are tons of working jazz musicians I haven't heard of. Mostly sidemen who have been working the ropes and then emerge seemingly out of nowhere, when in fact they'd been honing their skills and paying their dues all along. Eddie Allen is one of those underdogs, except that now he directs several different projects, none of which have garnered the media attention they deserve. The cat's been playing since the 70s, working his way up from Milwaukee to the Big Apple, where he's worked with such legends as hard bop drummer Art Blakey, bebop brass bohemian Dizzy Gillespie, avant-garde bandleader Henry Threadgill, and pioneering percussionist Mongo Santamaria, among others, no doubt taking it all in. In 1994 Allen struck out on his own with a quintet and an album titled Remembrance. One of his latest ensembles, Salongo, is a seven-piece Afro-Cuban-Brazilian group that has a four-pronged approach to jazz. The outfit combines the late congero legend Mongo Santamaria's rhythmic latticework, with Brazilian beats and sense of time, the harmonic concepts of contemporary jazz, and the commercial veneer of Santana. Crisp lines and smooth improvisation immediately came to mind when I listened to Salongo's self-titled debut. Allen is a well-versed player with an astonishing emotional range which he fully takes advantage of in the setting of a three-piece horn section -- comprised of himself, Bruce Williams on alto sax and flute, and Teodross Avery on tenor sax. The nine-track disc appropriately opens with "Brasilian Sunset," a laidback groove with Deigo Rivera keeping time with a samba-like backbeat on drums, and Hector Martignon infusing elegance on the piano. "Being Here With You" displays Afro-Cuban cadence on piano and sputtering congas. While "Nymph of Sudan," is the hands-down gem of the album. Midway, "Touch" exudes downtempo sensuality. Salongo wraps up the exquisite jaunt with "Just So You Know," on which the group's keen attention to detail is reiterated. This album is a seamless whole where every piece of the puzzle has its place -- just so you know.

Miami Beach Grooves With the Pinker Tones

Photo by Luis Olazabal
http://www.luisolazabal.com/

The Pinker Tones closed the Rhythm Foundation's Transatlantic Music Fest with style Saturday night at the North Beach Bandshell, giving fans a taste of what to expect from them come this summer's Vans Warped tour. The musically mischievous boys from Barcelona will play extended sets in the Skull Candy electronic tent in support of their latest release, Wild Animals (Nacional Records), in 43 cities across the U.S. In Miami an eclectic mix of cool kids, middle-aged fans, and even some seniors got their groove on under the night sky, a stone's throw away from the ocean, as Professor Manso, Mister Furia, and their trusty collaborator DJ Niño (known as the third pinkertone) funneled their irresistible sonic hodgepodge into the vortex of the moment. Looking like they'd just landed from an intergalactic voyage, the three DJs took to the blue-lit stage dressed in metallic silver jackets and dark shades. The effect was very cool as the crew proceeded to maneuver behind the decks opening the set with "Hold On," the first track from Wild Animals. By the time they segued into a remix of "S.E.X.Y.R.O.B.O.T.," another track off the new album, DJ Niño peeled off his, Mister Furia and Professor Manso's jacket, feeling Miami's punishing heat, but also as a silly, tongue-in-cheek striptease that revealed their matching ensembles - black, long-sleeve shirts and thin, platinum ties - as well as their loopy sense of humor. DJ Niño, sandwiched by Manso and Furia, was a ball of energy and really kept the momentum going with his onstage antics. He would play air guitar to sampled power chords, toss his headphones up in the air, and go crazy on the mixer. Meanwhile Manso rocked-out on the computer drum and Furia looked dapper, hunched over the knobs and switches of his analog synth. Overhead, a large screen flashed images of highways, go-go dancers, Marilyn Monroe, and primitive iconography. Midway through the set the trio plunged into the retro-soul tinged "Love Tape." From The Million Colour Revolution disc, the ultimate ode to the homemade mixedtape was appropriately infused that night with a samba beat and the exotic sound of the cuíca. Samples of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and "Mustang Sally" were brilliantly spliced and woven throughout, near the final stretch of the show, before climaxing with the quirky, electro-pop confection of "Sonido Total." At that point it seemed like everybody was infected with the Pinker Tones' wave of euphoria; their good vibes slicing right through the thick of Miami's stagnant air.

Miami Beach Grooves With the Pinker Tones

Photo by Luis Olazabal
http://www.luisolazabal.com/

The Pinker Tones closed the Rhythm Foundation's Transatlantic Music Fest with style Saturday night at the North Beach Bandshell, giving fans a taste of what to expect from them come this summer's Vans Warped tour. The musically mischievous boys from Barcelona will play extended sets in the Skull Candy electronic tent in support of their latest release, Wild Animals (Nacional Records), in 43 cities across the U.S. In Miami an eclectic mix of cool kids, middle-aged fans, and even some seniors got their groove on under the night sky, a stone's throw away from the ocean, as Professor Manso, Mister Furia, and their trusty collaborator DJ Niño (known as the third pinkertone) funneled their irresistible sonic hodgepodge into the vortex of the moment. Looking like they'd just landed from an intergalactic voyage, the three DJs took to the blue-lit stage dressed in metallic silver jackets and dark shades. The effect was very cool as the crew proceeded to maneuver behind the decks opening the set with "Hold On," the first track from Wild Animals. By the time they segued into a remix of "S.E.X.Y.R.O.B.O.T.," another track off the new album, DJ Niño peeled off his, Mister Furia and Professor Manso's jacket, feeling Miami's punishing heat, but also as a silly, tongue-in-cheek striptease that revealed their matching ensembles - black, long-sleeve shirts and thin, platinum ties - as well as their loopy sense of humor. DJ Niño, sandwiched by Manso and Furia, was a ball of energy and really kept the momentum going with his onstage antics. He would play air guitar to sampled power chords, toss his headphones up in the air, and go crazy on the mixer. Meanwhile Manso rocked-out on the computer drum and Furia looked dapper, hunched over the knobs and switches of his analog synth. Overhead, a large screen flashed images of highways, go-go dancers, Marilyn Monroe, and primitive iconography. Midway through the set the trio plunged into the retro-soul tinged "Love Tape." From The Million Colour Revolution disc, the ultimate ode to the homemade mixedtape was appropriately infused that night with a samba beat and the exotic sound of the cuíca. Samples of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and "Mustang Sally" were brilliantly spliced and woven throughout, near the final stretch of the show, before climaxing with the quirky, electro-pop confection of "Sonido Total." At that point it seemed like everybody was infected with the Pinker Tones' wave of euphoria; their good vibes slicing right through the thick of Miami's stagnant air.

New Music and Performances From Two Brazilian Legends

Seemingly tied to coincide with Bossa Nova's BIG 50, Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes releases his newest production, Encanto, in June under Concord Records. Fans will be able to purchase the disc at their nearest Starbucks. Mendes' importance in the U.S. is that he made Bossa Nova even more American friendly. In fact, shortly before his Brasil '66 ensemble made it to the mainstream, Mendes moved to L.A. and has been California Dreamin' ever since. Encanto follows in the footsteps of 2006’s Timeless, on which Mendes teemed up with will.i.am and Fergie to give Bossa Nova classics an urban flavor. Here again Mendes enlists several contemporary musicians from all over the world including Latin superstar Juanes from Colombia, the multi-talented Carlinhos Brown and Vanessa da Mata from Brazil, Japan's foremost pop outfit, Dreams Come True, Belgium’s sassy Zap Mama and Italian rapper Jovanotti, as well as American stars like Fergie, Ledisi, Natalie Cole, Herb Alpert and his wife, original Brasil ’66 singer, Lani Hall. He's also going to be on tour in other cites throughout the summer. For my fellow Floridians, don't miss him at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete on May 14 or in Miami's JVC Jazz Fest on May 17, along with Ledisi, Anthony Hamilton, and Jorge Ben Jor. That's right, JORGE BEN fucken JOR! An icon of the Brazilian songbook, the samba-funk master will perform in the U.S. for the first time since 2004. Not to be missed. I'll be there relishing my role as messenger for those of you who can't make it.

New Music and Performances From Two Brazilian Legends

Seemingly tied to coincide with Bossa Nova's BIG 50, Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes releases his newest production, Encanto, in June under Concord Records. Fans will be able to purchase the disc at their nearest Starbucks. Mendes' importance in the U.S. is that he made Bossa Nova even more American friendly. In fact, shortly before his Brasil '66 ensemble made it to the mainstream, Mendes moved to L.A. and has been California Dreamin' ever since. Encanto follows in the footsteps of 2006’s Timeless, on which Mendes teemed up with will.i.am and Fergie to give Bossa Nova classics an urban flavor. Here again Mendes enlists several contemporary musicians from all over the world including Latin superstar Juanes from Colombia, the multi-talented Carlinhos Brown and Vanessa da Mata from Brazil, Japan's foremost pop outfit, Dreams Come True, Belgium’s sassy Zap Mama and Italian rapper Jovanotti, as well as American stars like Fergie, Ledisi, Natalie Cole, Herb Alpert and his wife, original Brasil ’66 singer, Lani Hall. He's also going to be on tour in other cites throughout the summer. For my fellow Floridians, don't miss him at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete on May 14 or in Miami's JVC Jazz Fest on May 17, along with Ledisi, Anthony Hamilton, and Jorge Ben Jor. That's right, JORGE BEN fucken JOR! An icon of the Brazilian songbook, the samba-funk master will perform in the U.S. for the first time since 2004. Not to be missed. I'll be there relishing my role as messenger for those of you who can't make it.