Nov. 8 in Boston - Brazil's bossa queen in one of only two U.S. appearances

Jazz News by: Allen Bush

Venue: Berklee Performance Center (Boston, MA)

Nov. 8, 2007 -

Boston, October 10, 2007 – The 2007-2008 Sovereign Bank Music Series at Berklee presents in concert the great Brazilian singer and songwriter Rosa Passos, known for keeping alive traditional Brazilian jazz with all of its mystery, rhythm, and romance intact. She’ll perform songs from her internationally renowned catalog along with the music of other Brazilian ambassadors such as Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Djavan, and Joao Bosco. A group of Berklee students, faculty, and alumni under the direction of bass professor Oscar Stagnaro will provide the musical backing for an amazing night of surveying 50 years of Brazilian popular music.

Rosa por Berklee takes place on Thursday, November 8, at 8:15 p.m., at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Tickets $30 and $22.50 for seniors, and on sale at the BPC box office or through Ticketmaster 617-931-2000 or ticketmaster.com. Call 617-747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com for more information.

The BPC is wheelchair accessible. Passos comes to Boston after completing a three-night series at the famed Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, her only other North American appearance this year. She last performed in Boston in 2003. Fans all over the world know her to be loyal to her Afro-Brazilian culture, maintaining the traditional, soulful cool of bossa nova without commercial compromise. On stage and in her recordings, she sings in a sweet, warm voice that the Los Angeles Times reports as, "sounding a bit like the legendary Elis Regina but with the rhythmic articulation of Ella Fitzgerald." She released her first recording in 1979, and since her music has become recognized all over the world. Kenny Rankin and Diana Krall are among many who have recorded her songs. She collaborated with bassist Ron Carter for a CD in 2003. She sang and played guitar on Yo-Yo Ma’s Grammy Award-winning Obrigado Brazil that led to a world tour and a follow-up live recording. The 2007-2008 Sovereign Bank Music Series at Berklee features a wide variety of music ranging from rock, jazz, and Latin, to r&b, hip-hop, and Broadway and film tunes. Christopher Guest, K-OS, The Fab Faux, George Duke, the SFJAZZ Collective, and Berklee’s outstanding students, faculty, and alumni will perform in this unique and astonishing season.

For more information: http://www.berkleebpc.com

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