Beneath and beyond the stylish Bossa Nova, the iconic Tropicalia and the contagious Batucadas that make up the collective wisdom on Brazilian music, there pulsates a vigorous and independent ecosystem of creators, stemming from different regions of the country, defying trends to write and perform songs and instrumentals of startling freshness and depth. These artists are drawing from the awe inspiring masters from past (Jobim, Caymmi, Villa Lobos) and present (Hermeto Paschoal, Guinga, Milton Nascimento) while pushing for a new scene, in which the familiar seductive beauty and rhythms of Brazil walk hand in hand with explorative musicianship and risk taking.
One of such musicians, who´s also the curator of the showcase, is 32 year old singer/songwriter/guitarist Pedro Moraes, from Rio de Janeiro. Moraes has been touring extensively to the US, Europe and Asia since 2007 and, with his mastery of Brazilian, Latin and self-created rhythms, and deceptively organic melodies. He has been establishing himself as an ambassador of this generation.
10:00pm – Mauricio Zottarelli Quintet.
Mauricio is a critically acclaimed and award-winning drummer and artist. He is credited in more than 70 albums and has performed with artists such as Richard Bona, Joe Locke, Ivan Lins, Carmen Souza, Rosa Passos, Dom Salvador, Toninho Horta and countless others. Co-leader of the jazz-fusion project Dig Trio, which released its first CD in 2003, Mauricio was in 2005 unanimously elected the best drummer at the Emergenza International Festival. In 2009, he became a member of jazz pianist Hiromi’s Sonicbloom, and has toured the world in support of her CD, Beyond Standard. In the same year, he released his first solo album, entitled 7 Lives, which includes several of his own compositions and features special guests such as Esperanza Spalding and Oriente Lopez.
Learn more at http://www.mzdrums.com/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP76cMZDvPI
10:40am – Mariana Baltar
Having started her artistic career as a professional dancer (ballet, modern and brazilian balroom styles), touring for years with the Cia Aérea de Dança and in brazilian pop legend Jorge Ben´s entourage, has certainly been key to Mariana Baltar´s classy and groovy stage performance. Embraced as one of the leading, most sophisticated names of traditional samba and northeastern folk revival of the early 2000´s with her first solo album (Uma dama também quer se divertir / A lady also wants to have fun – 2003 – Biscoito Fino), Baltar´s restless artistic nature has led her to a surprisingly innovative second album (Mariana Baltar – 2009 – Biscoito Fino).
Learn more at http://www.marianabaltar.com
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2D9sEh9csA
11:20pm – Pedro Moraes
After years of developing his Brazilian grooves singing classic sambas in the bohemian neighborhood of Lapa, the carioca singer, composer and guitarist, following the release of his debut solo EP Claroescuro (2007), turned his full focus to promoting his own lyrics.
Since then, Pedro has toured the length and breadth of Brazil, several European and Asian countries and particularly the US, where the release tours of the full album version of Claroescuro (2010/2011) covered extensive coast-to-coast mileage on stages such as the “Joe´s Pub”, “SOB´s” and “NuBlu”, (NY), the “Chicago World Music Festival” and “Midwest World Music Consortium” (IL), SXSW (TX), “Philadelphia Film and Music Festival” (PA), etc.
The APAP showcase is the first concert of his Jan 2011 US Tour, which will also visit Boston (Johnny D´s,1/11) and Chicago (Old Town School of Folk Music, 1/18).
Learn more at http://www.pmoraes.com
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQJDGcHPSOY
00:00am – Sergio Krakowski w/ Choro Funk
32 year old Sergio Krakowski is considered one of the best Pandeiro players in the world, having dedicated his life to the instrument since the age of 15. Crossing over national and cultural barriers, he´s developed a full range of new strikes and techniques, and applied them to the most diverse contexts, from fundamental Choro to full blown Jazz and Contemporary Music. Krakowski has already shared the stage with artists such as Maria Bethânia, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Lenine, David Linx, Maria João, Yamandú and countless others.
Bearing a surprising, but decisive synergy with his music, Sergio pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, a Master´s in Applied Mathematics and finally a PhD in Computer Music, for which he developed cutting edge real time Pandeiro/laptop interaction software, which was the basis for his latest and most talked about project: Choro Funk. Video projections and Rio´s own urban contemporary beats are set in motion by the high-tech virtuoso, in an orthodoxy shattering mix with the winding melodies of the “Brazilian Jazz”.
Learn more at http://www.skrako.com
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X93pqIrOOBM
