Coming Soon 9/8/23
Daniela Soledade and Nate Najar
Daniela Soledade is a rising star among legends in the Brazilian music scene. An heir to the throne of bossa nova, Soledade is highly acclaimed for her poignantly expressive vocal style and hyper-intimate aesthetic. Drawing from an amalgamation of authentic bossa nova, samba, MPB, and American Popular Song, Soledade is the new sound of Bossa Nova. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Soledade’s family roots are steeped in Bossa Nova’s inception. Her grandfather, Paulo Soledade composed popular song with renowned Bossa Nova founders Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho, Baden Powell, Fernando Lobo, and others.
With a deep love of music embedded in her DNA, Soledade’s singing career began at a young age. As a child, she frequented the top recording studios in Rio de Janeiro, observing and performing with her father, musician and producer Paulinho Soledade. Soledade says of her early musical influences, “Music has been my driving force since as far as I can remember, and continues to be my main passion and inspiration every single day.”
In 2019, Soledade established herself as the new sound of Bossa Nova with the release of her debut album A Moment of You. Featuring songs in both English and Portuguese, Downbeat Magazine praised the album as “a careful curation of compositions... each of them contributing the perfect nuanced sound, intimacy, harmonious melodies and poetic rhythms while injecting the music with much needed freshness.”
A brilliant collaborator, Soledade has worked with many well-known artists in Brazilian music. Recent collaborations include Bossa Nova pioneer Roberto Menescal - the music video for his song "Rio'' features Soledade's English lyrics - as well as a recording with the composer of "Pretty World" Antonio Adolfo.
Today, Daniela Soledade’s deep passion for connecting with her listeners through her love of music extends beyond the stage. Boasting a robust online presence, the vocalist regularly publishes thoughtfully curated content including a rigorous recording and video release schedule. During 2020 Soledade teamed up with guitarist and producer Nate Najar to livestream a weekly duo concert series entitled “Love & Bossa Nova.” Running for over a year, the series was featured by JazzTimes hailing both Soledade’s “exquisite vocals” and Najar’s “masterful” guitar playing.
https://www.danielasoledade.com/
Guitarist Nate Najar is one of this decade’s finest modern jazz exponents. He is a player who uses a distinctive technique to convey his artistic prowess - not many artists play acoustic classical guitar with right hand classical technique, yet it is the perfect choice for Najar’s comprehensive approach. Not restricted to single notes or chords, Nate seamlessly weaves melody, harmony and rhythmic freedom. The result is music that is swinging, emotional, inventive and interesting. Rick Andersen of the All Music Guide called Nate "one of the most consistently interesting and stylish young guitarists on the jazz scene…." Becky Byrd, wife of the late guitarist Charlie Byrd says it best: "There is no doubt that there is a piece of Charlie's soul in Nate's mind, heart and fingers. Get ready world, here comes Nate Najar!!!"
It has been 60 years since the release of Jazz Samba, the 1962 landmark album by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz that launched bossa nova in the United States and predated the best-selling Getz/Gilberto by two years. With Jazz Samba Pra Sempre (Jazz Samba Forever), guitarist Nate Najar pays homage to that groundbreaking album with a “reimagining” of those iconic seven tunes. Playing Charlie Byrd’s own instrument (a gorgeous-sounding 1974 Ramirez 1A nylon string classical guitar), Najar is joined by tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert, bassist Herman Burney (playing Keter Betts’ bass played on the original Jazz Samba), keyboardist Patrick Bettison on Fender Rhodes electric piano and drummer Chuck Redd (previously of the Charlie Byrd Trio). Brazilian vocalist Daniela Soledade guests on two tracks, Joao Gilberto’s classic “O Pato" and Ary Barroso’s “É Luxo Só.” The results are as dreamy as they are exhilarating.
Najar’s latest and 14th overall recording as a leader comes 10 years after his previous tribute album, Blues for Night People: The Nate Najar Trio Remembers Charlie Byrd. “When I first heard Charlie’s records, I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do. I loved his sound. It was something that was really special to me. There was just this elegant simplicity in his playing; it always seemed like just the right way to do it.”
Daniela and Nate will be at Blue Bamboo on Friday, September 8th at 8 PM
