LIVIA LUCAS
www.myspace.com/livialucas
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

Lívia Lucas (Nêga Lucas), who at present is 29 years old, has been tracing a notorious musical trajectory in Brazil. She has played not only in festivals and several musical events but also performed as the opening live act at the internationally well-known Tiradentes Film Festival, which takes place in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. 

Lívia, who is a native from Juiz de Fora Brazil, started her career at the age of 13 when she became a member of a church chorus in her hometown. During this time she was able to improve her knowledge of voice techniques. Later by the age of 19, she started singing in a local band and she also developed her first music project as a trio, with a violinist and a bassist. Her trio played a varied repertoire of MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and they attracted a wide audience to their performaces. 

In March 2006, she was honoured for her contribution to the local culture by the city hall of Juiz de Fora. Also in 2006, Lívia started a new project to save Sambas De Raíz (Root Samba), Choro and also other types of Samba that originate from this style, from being forgotten.

One year after having launched her project Música Mulata Brasileira, Lívia celebrated its success with a non-profit show in the MAM (Museum of Modern Art Murilo Mandes). She took part in an event called Central do Samba at the Cine Teatro Central in Juiz de Fora. This place is well recognized not only in Minas Gerais but also throughout Brazil for its cultural history. Starting in the year 2007, Lívia Lucas has been touring throughout Europe.

At the same time she developed several projects in varied areas such as: Afro Music, Samba, MPB, socio-cultural projects, among others. Finally, in 2008, Lívia produced and recorded her first album called Canto de Casa in Rio de Janeiro together with Gabriel Improta and Henrique Band.

Since then she has been promoting this album at well known places in Barcelona (Castelo do Montjuic, Jazz Bel Luna), Paris (Favela Chic, Divan Du Monde, Belleviloise) and at music festivals in Southern France. At this point in time she is concentrating on presenting Canto de Casa in Brazil, starting off with a series of shows in Rio de Janeiro and MinasGerais states since January 2010.

Her band is made up of top line artists:
Rodrigo Lessa (guitar and mandolin)
Rodrigo Villa (bass)
Cassius Theperson (drums)
Wili Noya (trombone)
Walmer Carvalho (saxophone and flute)

BRAZUKA FINA (Helena Cutter)
www.helenacutter.com.br
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 2)

Helena Cutter nasceu no Rio de Janeiro e sua estréia nos palcos foi aos 5 anos no Karaokê Manga Rosa, onde seu pai era sócio, cantando “Ovelha Negra” de Rita Lee. Cresceu ouvindo e cantando boa música, Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, Ella Fitzgerald e Beatles faziam parte do repertório que cantava para a mãe na cozinha de sua casa no Leblon.

Aos 17 anos entrou para a Escola de Teatro Martins Pena e se formou atriz. Três anos depois, quando fazia um comercial, conheceu Tomaz Crochemore, seu primeiro parceiro musical. Juntos fizeram mais de 10 canções em inglês, uma delas – “Your time is over”- faz parte do seu disco de estréia como cantora solo “Quarto 47”.

Em 2001 começou a ter aulas de canto com o preparador vocal Felipe Abreu, que disse sobre a cantora: “Helena Cutter, tão jovem, já tem o que muitas cantoras levam anos para conseguir: um timbre. Uma voz de seda e metal escuro, que nos envolve em luz e sombra, calor e frio, um sol da meia-noite”.

Apaixonada por Beatles, em 2002 formou sua primeira banda, Acid Beatles, onde faziam releituras bem ousadas do Fab Four, acid jazz com direito a scratches do DJ Fábio Machado.  No mesmo ano Helena se apresentou no Sesc Tijuca com o espetáculo “Na trilha das paixões”, composto de canções românticas de filmes nacionais, dirigido por Gilberto Gawronski com preparação vocal de Felipe Abreu.

No ano seguinte, ao lado dos músicos André Valle, Kim Pereira e Ciro Cruz, a banda Acid Beatles decide partir para um trabalho autoral, formando a banda Acid X. Após gravar o cd “Uma Geral”, conquistou o terceiro lugar no Festival Aroma do Campo de Música Brasileira na categoria música original com a canção “Uma Geral”, de autoria de Helena Cutter e André Valle. As canções “Na Estrada”, “Uma Geral” e “Dicionário” entraram em 5 coletâneas: “Bossa a la mode”, “Le pop for afternoon tea” e “Le pop for party” (Japão), “Nu Brasil 2”  (Inglaterra) e “Elas” (Brasil).  No mesmo ano, Helena entra para a faculdade de cinema, impulsionada pela sua paixão por escrever. Roteirizou, dirigiu e fez a trilha sonora de dois curtas-metragens: “Na Bainha da Vida” e “Sapatos Brancos”.

Em 2005 e 2006 Helena fez parte do Espetáculo Musical “Missa dos Quilombos” de Milton Nascimento, Pedro Tierra e Pedro Casaldália, com direção de Luiz Fernando Lobo, da Companhia Ensaio Aberto, em uma turnê por Minas Gerais, Brasília e São Paulo.

Em 2007 participou do projeto “Brazuka Fina-Samba Eletrônico”,  com canções nas coletâneas: “Rio de Janeiro: The Finest World Beats” (Portugal), “Jazzilia-Cool Brazilian Jazz beats”- (USA), “Brazil​- Sambossica 2” (USA) e Nuth Lounge (Brasil/USA). No ano seguinte, Helena entra para banda Rio Sound Machine onde fez shows até 2009.

Em 2010, Helena Cutter decide gravar seu primeiro trabalho solo de forma independente – “Quarto 47” – produzido pelo guitarrista e produtor musical Alexandre Vaz, assinando 8 faixas em parcerias com Alexandre Vaz, Jorge Ailton, Keko Calazans e Tomaz Crochemore. O disco tem 10 canções inéditas, sendo duas de autoria de Jorge Ailton – “Agora” e “Não necessariamente nessa ordem”- onde Jorge faz uma participação especial. O disco conta também com a participação super especial da cantora Thalma de Freitas em “Valsinha n° 3” ao lado de Helena e Vaz.

VANESSA PINHEIRO
www.vanessapinheiro.com
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

"Velvet Voice wrist copyright. A singers emission is irresistible. " This is how the reporter Tarik de Souza defines Vanessa Pinheiro. Pará, founded in Rio de Janeiro, via Curitiba, Vanessa arrived 12 years ago in the federal capital. In Brasilia, she majored in journalism and writing, and studied singing at the Music School of Brasília. In 2004, she released her first CD & received rave reviews and earned her invitations to tour in Portugal, Spain and France. In 2005, Vanessa made ​​a number of shows in Portugal and the Portuguese press was considered as a revelation of Brazilian music. Now, Vanessa released her second CD, Balcony, produced by Arthur Maia, who has the participation of great musicians including Romero Lubambo, Carlos Malta, Kiko Continentino, Lui Coimbra, Gabriel Grossi and many others. In her two albums, she shows her own compositions, which sail between modernity and post-bossa nova MPB current balance, and is competent readings of classic MPB. To the maestro Leonardo Bruno, Vanessa brings a new way of writing: refined, cultured, of exquisite taste and a strong popular appeal. All simple, but not commonplace, music or poetry. Vanessa Pinheiro has been building a solid career as a singer and songwriter and recently by Nelson Motta was considered as one of the best revelations emerged on the plateau, an artist who makes a quality MPB.  Vanessa has had some of her songs included in compilations released in the United States and Japan including the "I love Bossa Nova," in which Vanessa sings "Vidigal" (Vanessa Pinheiro / Mario Jovita), the World Music Central blog wrote "Some of the best cuts in the album are the exquisite" Vidigal "which includes the gorgeous voice of Vanessa Pinheiro." With the recognition of the public and press, Vanessa Pinheiro has led to Brazil and the world, the best music Brazilian. 

DANIELA REZENDE
www.myspace.com/danielarezende
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

Master in Music by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), singer and songwriter, Daniela Rezende presented in September of 2010, the dissertation theses “The Voice and the Choro - Vocal Technique Aspects and The Sung Choro Repertoire as a tool to study Brazilian Jazz” under the guidance of Professor Dr Mirna Rubim. Born in Ribeirão Preto (SP), at age 17 Daniela lived in Arizona - U.S. where she participated intensely in the musical activities at the Red Mountain High School during the academic year 1996/1997. She completed her undergraduate diploma in Popular Music Studies at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in 2002 and after that she moved to São Paulo city to further her musical studies and to work as a professional musician. Between 2003 and 2007 she presented several musical performances in SESCs and other cultural centers; she also taught vocal lessons, music theory and music to children for the City Hall of São Paulo. In 2006, she debuted at an international career as a singer and guitarist resident of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok (Thailand), where she held two seasons, presenting a repertoire of bossa nova and jazz. In 2008 Daniela moved to Rio de Janeiro to pursue her master's degree in performance and at the same time she recorded her first album (SMD) “Sadness well dressed”, with the five original compositions also present in this page. Today Daniela lives in Toulouse and gradually she has been finding space for her music in France.

DANIELLA FIRPO
www.myspace.com/daniellafirpo
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 1)

I arrived in Italy in 2006,  after nine years of operation in Brazil, where I occupied an area of emphasis in the music scene in Bahia. My music starts from the matrix and cheerfulness of Brazil, traveling through the emotions and how, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea. Creativity, irreverence, rhythm, poetry and emotions are the key ingredients. Mixing the samba, bossa nova and the visceral rhythms of percussion, with a contemporary language, in a fusion of regionalism and universality. In my song you can find the earth, fire, the colors of my country, Her warmth, heart, life button. But They Are Also The "voice" of people who live the suffering and hardship in this world contradictory. The European experience has Given Me A Sense of Belonging to the whole. I Was Able to experience a deep cultural exchange with artists and audiences from around the globe and this has enriched me on a personal level. My music is without borders, and has no limits of space or time. It is enclosed in my identity, what I have and feel, my essence, the Fruit of the cultures from but I like impetuosity of my character from Also. I want to come to the heart of who undertakes to Continually change, to Those Who Seek to Free Themselves from the Confines of a small thought, to touch the authentic values ​​of life. Review by Mauro Musibrasil Montalbani: "The Bahia Daniella Firpo, daughter of the tenor Renato Firpo and teacher of guitar and Acordeon Ana Maria Costa, presents her second album, which was designed long distance onset" Pela Beira ", and after a long period of living and working in Italy.

The style in this record shows Daniella adopts an interesting blend of roots folk, singer-songwriter and the most modern attitude, so much so that after the opening entrusted to "do reino Canario" , opens a series of music composed by Daniella, with the exception of "Jorge de Capadocia", in a nice version for percussion and string quartet, very Beatles. The album has moments exceptionally focused, as the beautiful " dropped or meu dinheiro ", which moves effortlessly tha ballad, samba, rap and funk-rock, or even the next" opening to love me ", delicious funk-esteem. Mindful of last residence in Italy, we Daniella even ammann a sensuous bossa nova in Italian, "The Frighteners", which could well be included in the repertoire of a better Ornella Vanoni of yesteryear, full of innuendo as sensual and sexual, a sincerity almost embarrassing, it makes even try a little 'd 'envy for the person to whom, we imagine, was dedicated. The poster Daniella style reflects her personal experiences, and aims at a fusion of different styles, including traditional econtemporaneità, between rock and MPB, with an attitude, ranging from floor personal and political level, reminiscent of the best reality of these years, such as Adriana Calcanhoto or Ana Carolina, and with a tone of voice that is closer to the latter. special mention also for art, curated by Daniella same with Nestor Madrid, which gives the drive a sober modern dress. If Daniella Firpo will be confirmed at this level, we can say goodbye to another item of importance in the contemporary scene.

ELIZA LACERDA
www.myspace.com/elizalacerda
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 2)

Eliza Lacerda began her career with just seven years of age with the disk recording folk music that enchanted Showcante produced by Joaquim de Paula.His participation in the project was not limited to choirs, was invited to be a child of the soloists.In 2001 he participated in the Coral Coast Muri ridden by Maestro to sing at the opening of Rock'n Rio III with the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Ray Lemma.With Voice Choir Co., accompanied Danilo Caymmi CD Tracks season at the Teatro Rival and the launch of the College Campus Dorival Caymmi Estacio de Sa.Member of Cia Cia Singers Voice Karla Boechat, Eliza sang in several shows such as "Worker's Song" (named after Gonzales), "Duets," "Just wanted to Destiny" (named after Roberto Carlos) and " Poet's Village "(in honor of Noel Rosa). In 2002, Eliza auditioned for the vocal group Women of Holland and has since become a component of the quintet that sings only the female of the work of Chico Buarque.

The group has been standing out in the music scene in Rio sold out in all theaters wherever he goes (Rival Theatre SESC, Sala Baden Powell, Mistura Fina, Little Theatre Café). All this experience and information have matured the idea of ​​a solo album, which had complete freedom in their design. In 2005, in partnership with producer, arranger and conductor Flavio Mendes (Maestro of the show Bibi Ferreira in Concert III and guitarist Bossacucanova, among others) began to produce his first CD, titled "Foot Dance ". always influenced by the sounds of Brazil, Eliza disc which has the best in the country. The already established Caetano, Gil, Carlinhos Brown and Lenine share tracks with new people that bring air to the disc a couple of contemporary popular music Brazilian. A daring repertoire sung and played with the right doses of talent and technique by Eliza Lacerda is gradually finding its place in the ears and curious of Brazil and the world. From your CD, Eliza was selected for the Project Gloss held in Rio de Janeiro in 2006.

Project that proposed to assemble the new singers in Brazilian music scene. In July 2007 Women's Holland recorded his first CD / DVD live at Teatro Municipal de Niterói. In August of that year CD "Foot Dance" sparked interest across the world and was launched in the Japanese market. independent bands had already been included in compilations of Brazilian music in Europe and Japan Eliza was called to join the casting of the label and in 2008 Albatross recorded and released in Asia, Japan and Brazil, the CD "Kid's Bossa." Music U.S. infant arranged in bossa nova sung in solo or duets with a singer mirim. Even at the end of 2008 recorded a duet with Guinga for the CD "A friend is for these things "to be released in 2009.

MICHELINE CARDOSO
www.michelinecardoso.com.br
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 1 & 2)

Micheline Cardoso was raised in musical melting pot, and from tender age six was already influenced by the great samba artists such as Mestre Marçal, Darcy da Mangueira and Dona Ivone Lara. Her influences were further shaped by sharing the same " roof and stage" with musicians of all instruments and styles who lived in the same building (a suburbian apartment complex built by the Guild of Musicians) who would practice and play at any time of day. Since the early vocal coaching received from her father, Micheline has taken part in Big Bands such as “Orquestra Tamoio”, “Orquestra Cuba Libre”, “Orquestra Idade Média” and the famed “Orquestra do Maestro Cipó”. Having several backing vocal gigs with top Brazilian artists under her belt (Tim Maia, Bebeto, Martinho da Vila, Geraldo Azevedo, Zé Ramalho, Elba Ramalho, Nando Reis), Micheline has also had the honor of representing Brazilian music in the "Brazilian Carnival Ball" held in Toronto, Canada, in 2002. Her solo career took off in 2004, with the release of Micheline Mayz – “Samba de Pista” (roughly translated as “Samba on the Dance Floor”), distributed by Sony/BMG. In 2005, as she signs with Abstrakt Reality (California) for the release of her cd entitled “Nu.Samba”. 

In 2008, release of cd "Samba Plugado". In this year, Micheline Cardoso showed her music in countries of Europe, in concerts in France, Portugal and Italy with brazilian DJ Luluta and Italian DJ Farrapo. With the success, it is possible to listen her voice in compilations as "Made in Brasil” - DJ Luluta, "Quincy Jointz - The Thief (Shantisan's Brazilicious Remix)", "Brasil:Sambossica (Afro:Baile Records)", "Modern Bit - Aperitivo Italiano (Modern Activism Rec.)" and "Sexy Lounge (Sony/BMG)" with the DJ Shantisan (www.myspace.com/saltedsoul). Now, with her new cd "Cascadura Samba" (2011), Micheline feels that she has matured her creative language by incorporating Brazilian percussion instruments to loops , vintage keyboards and synthesized sounds, all resulting in a very particular, yet universally appealing interpretation of not only her own compositions, but also of Brazilian samba standards. As her recent concerts show – it’s all about the dancing! No compromises.
Micheline's songs have been featured on 2 albums by Afro:Baile including: Que Nego e Esse (Sambossica 1) and Geme (Sambossica 2)

MARCELA RIBEIRO
www.marcelaribeiro.com.br
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 2)

Marcela Ribeiro’s relationship with music began at age 7 taking acoustic guitar, piano and flute lessons in Presidente Prudente,Brazil, where she was born. After winning a voice contest in school when she was 11, Marcela decided she wanted to be a singer. At 16 she wrote her first song while on an exchange program in Canada and never stopped.

Marcela moved to Sao Paulo in 1999 to study Marketing and Advertising at ESPM and through the university met friend DJ Erick Lee, with whom she formed the band Vila Nova and recorded her songs for the first time. The band’s single was recommended by MTV magazine as one of coolest independent releases in 2003, with a highlight for her song "Maisnãohá" There is nothing more). While managing her time between the band and the trainee program she was attending at research institute IBOPE, Marcela also featured in album from hiphop artists such as Eloda Corrente, Artificio and Grilo13. In2007, torn between a promising corporate career and music mostly in the background, Marcela decided to quit her job and focus on her singing career. After resigning from cosmetic company Natura, where she was a marketing coordinator, Marcela packed her bags and moved to the UnitesStates, where she played and sang for a year.

Back in Brazil, the singer studied at Groove Music School with Leyve Miranda, began performing in music houses in Sao Paulo and in August 2009 she joined the band of composer and musician Rodrigo Campos, singing in concerts of his award winning album “Sao Mateus nao e um lugar assim tao longe" (Sao Mateus is not so far) presenting 8 out of 10 lists of best 2009 albums in Brazil. The milestone of her singing career was the triple concert“ Seu Olhar Gentil” (Your gentle gaze) at AuditorioIbirapuera in September 2009, which brought together Rodrigo Campos, Romulo Froes and Bruno Morais’ bands. Mean while, Marcela participated in other projects such as featuring in a version of "Give Peace a Chance" produced by Daniel Latorre and Daniel Daibem for the album“ Abbey Road Revisited” (a Beatles tribute produced by Marcelo Froes); featuring at Brasil:Sambossica2 (a modern Brazilian music compilation by Afro:Baile Records, headed by Arizona DJ Miguel Ivery,aka DJ Seduce); recording "BaiaodeSP", a partners hip between Marcela and rapper Max B.O. with Leo Cunha’s production.

Marcela is currently producing and performing the concert “Sobre anature za expansiva do desejo” (About the expansive nature of desire) that will become her first album, with songs written by Marcela along with songs by Luisa Maita,Romulo Froes, Clima, Rodrigo Campos, Kiko Dinucci, Bruno Morais, Caetano Veloso and Jards Macale. Marcela Ribeiro is featured on the Brazil:Sambossica 2 album with her song: Ex-Ceu