Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts

"From Rio With Love, The Bossa Nova Songbook"

Experience the classic Bossa Nova hits and sizzling Jazz Samba with this dynamic, all-star ensemble. From Rio With Love features nylon string guitarist Nate Najar; tenor saxophone star Jeff Rupert; the stunning Daniela Soledade on vocals; Tommy Cecil on bass and Ed Metz on drums.

The gorgeous Brazilian sounds of Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Gilberto, Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd sound as fresh and new as when they took the world by storm with the Girl From Ipanema, Desafinado and so many more hits.

Guitarist Nate Najar is emerging as 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. Continuing to perform at major venues and festivals across the entire globe, Nate’s latest album, Under Paris Skies, was released in 2018 on Woodward Avenue Records.

Saxophonist Jeff Rupert is a YAMAHA performing artist. Performing and recording credits include associations with Diane Schuur, Mel Tormé, Kevin Mahogany, Ernestine Anderson, and Benny Carter’s Grammy winning Harlem Renaissance. Jeff Rupert toured for fifteen years with Sam Rivers; four albums ensued, and from 1997- 2002 he toured and recorded with Maynard Ferguson. Performance venues include the Blue Note, Birdland, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Tokyo Forum, the National concert hall of Taipei, Taiwan, and jazz festivals in Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Rupert’s latest release, Imagination, is a collaboration with pianist Richard Drexler.

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, vocalist/guitarist Daniela Soledade grew up in a family of musicians with a direct line to the origins of Bossa Nova. Daniela’s grandfather was Paulo Soledade, who composed songs with legendary Brazilian artists Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho and Baden Powell. Her father, Paulinho Soledade, is an artist and producer who learned guitar from Baden Powell himself and has worked with legends Ivan Lins and Gilberto Gil among others. As a child, Daniela participated in studio recordings for Brazilian artists such as Xuxa and the band Oxgênios. At age 14, she placed first in the entrance exam to attend the prestigious Music Conservatory Villa Lobos. Daniela settled in the United States in 2003 and maintains a busy performing schedule. Her debut album will be released in late 2019.