MAIRA MARTINS
ww.mairamartins.net
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

Maíra Martins grew up surrounded by music, influenced by her mother, the poet Glória Horta, and her father, the musician Jorge Sá Martins, one of the founding members of the famous vocal group Garganta Profunda. She started her career singing in various vocal groups, such as Cinco a Seco and Equale. With Equale, she recorded the CD "Um Gosto de Sol", with songs by Milton Nascimento. Her solo career began in 2003. Since then she's been working on two different projects: 'Tremores', an acapella solo show, and 'Processo de Feitura', her first CD, recorded in June 2006. On the CD 'Processo de Feitura', Maíra sings an variety of modern songs by composers of her own generation, such as Rodrigo Maranhão, Edu Prestes, and Edu Krieger. Maíra Martins has degrees in music and dance. She graduated with a BA in Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) from UNIRIO (2004) and has a degree in Motor Recovery and Therapy through Dance from the Escola Angel Vianna (2007). She worked for four years as an assistant to the well known vocal teacher Angela Herz (2002-2005). She took courses on Vocal Teaching for Young Voices at the University of Colorado (2001) and on Corporal Research for Singers course with Ana Abbot and Maria Clara Hertz, coordinated by Ana Kfouri (2003-2004). She's also a music teacher, a company choir monitor, and a vocal coach for theatrical productions. Maíra Martins has done the vocal preparation for many plays, including "O Animal do Tempo" (2007), enacted by Ana Kfouri and directed by Antônio Guedes; "Última Cena para Lorca" (2005), directed by André Paes Leme; "Almas Berrantes" (2004-2005), from the Cia Teatro Anônimo, directed by Sidney Cruz; and "Esperando Godot" (2003), by the Cia Caratapa, directed by Chico Sólon. 

BEL MAIA
www.myspace.com/belmaiavoz
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

The new Brazilian music. BEL MAIA is a singer and composer with something to say. Musicality is a term synonymous with BEL MAIA. For years she has worked and lived in a highly musical environment where she has picked up influences not only from her native region, the interior of Brazil, but also from African music, jazz, and world music. All of these influences elevate her work to a different plane through her always engaging choice of instruments, repertoire, and her sophisticated arrangements. Above all, BEL MAIA’s work is highly personal. Despite its variety of cultural manifestations, BEL MAIA never fails to reveal a unique personality that is clearly her own. On her recently released 2nd CD entitled Novo Dia [New Day] Bel continues to mix MPB [Brazilian Popular Music] with regional rhythms and diverse sounds. Lyrically, the CD presents poetic images from daily life that reveal an optimistic, humanistic message. Musically, in this work BEL MAIA shows a new phase to her musical development with a greater variety of sounds and harmonic sophistication The CD features an A-list of instrumentalists as well including Márcio Bahia (drummer for Hermeto Paschoal), Kiko Continentino (pianist for Milton Nascimento), Marcelo Martins (saxophonist for Djavan), William Magalhães (Keyboardist for Marina Lima, Banda Black Rio) as well as musicians from her band: Marcelo Maia, Fred Valle, Luiz Chaffin, Edílson Moraes, and Ney Quiñonero. Novo Dia is a CD poised for great commercial success. The sales of her last CD, Rumo Certo, extended far beyond the confines of Brazil into countries such as Japan, Germany, and the United States. Songs from Rumo Certo received airplay in such diverse markets as Sydney, Australia; Brasília; and Rio de Janeiro. With Novo Dia Bel is determined to expand on these successes, providing audiences with a dynamic live show featuring her own material as well classics from Brazil’s rich musical traditions.

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.

SIMONE PELISSARI
www.simonepelissari.com
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

The Music of: Simone Pelissari If there is a fragment of memory that lingers the most – It's the "voice". In time, faces and faces wear off, often, - if not always – Leaving you to put a voice on the faceless. Should a certain voice you..ve grown to be fond of find it's way framed in a melody that union will surely become a "forever part" of you circumstances and situations aside, the song will stay and change wherever you may find yourself… wherever life takes you. It's not by accident or by any slight relation that we find ourselves attached to the music of Simone Pelissari, after all the sound the bears is a very natural progression – if you've ever been captivated and charmed by the melodies of Joyce. A Nightingale at night and a Lark by day – what floats out of her lips can very well be sung and exhaled murmurs of the heart. The pretty songstress with a beaming smile lists – among her influences and favorites – some of the most burningly intense Brasilian artists known: Elis Regina, Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento and a consummate, more contemporary vocalist – Luciana Souza, whose gripping and incandescent style gave her some mainstream notice and US and Europe. The coolness and relaxed aire of her delivery can be traced to her love of Ella Fitzgerald, and the more somber but equally loose flair of the just passed away Shirley Horn. All together Simone's pallete is a scintilliating mix of the best from ther native Brasil and just the right accents from the improvised, North American blend.

ANA PAULA ALBUQUERQUE 
www.anapaulaalbuquerque.com
(As Featured on I Love Bossa Nova)

Ana Paula Albuquerque diversified curriculum has a Bachelor's corner from the Federal University of Bahia with various training courses in the area and a post graduate degree in Teaching by UNIJORGE and serves as Professor of Popular Singing Popular Music course at the Federal University of Bahia. With great ease in both Bahian and Brazilian popular music, as in jazz and classical music. His works range from interests in opera and concerts as performances of samba and bossa nova. Cantoraas One of the most awarded in the last five years, collecting eight awards among them the Best Interpreter Educator Radio Festival in 2008. She has performed with Roberto Mendes, Jotham Nascimento, Fred Dantas, Zeca Freitas, Garage Group from Bahia and other artists of national repute like Vanessa da Mata, Martinália, Chico Cesar and Filo Machado. Ana Paula makes participation in 19 hard as a guest artist, and two international organizations such as the collection launched in 2009 "I Love Bossa Nova" distributed by the Afro:Baile and Disco records "Connection Bahia Swede" Released in 2004. Both distributed in the United Stages, Japan and Europe. Today, as a singer, presents the result of a personal meeting the various influences of his musical career, in addition to operating as a singing teacher, developing and improving its own methodology and didactics

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.

FABIO FONSECA TRIO
www.myspace.com/fabiofonsecatrio
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 1)

If the Hammond organ tends to get the wind knocked out of it by American and European players, there is something about Brazil’s practitioners that emit the warm breeze of the Brazilian beaches and the batucada celebration of its people. Any doubt is instantly allayed with one listen to such legends as Walter Wanderley, Ed Lincoln, Djalma Ferreira or any number of Brazil’s many Hammond journeymen. While the underrated Ely Arcoverde, Celso Murilo, Andre Penazzi, Aresky Aratto, and Zé Maria all come to mind, even part timers like Eumir Deodato, Primo Jr. and João Donato (most notably on Cal Tjader’s soulful albums “The Prophet” and “Solar Heat”) breathe a welcome breath of Brazil into their occasional forays on the Hammond. Add to this pantheon the remarkable Fabio Fonseca. While Mr. Fonseca is probably just a part-time organ grinder, it’s not for lack of anything else to do. Fabio Fonseca is one of Brazil’s busiest and most highly regarded arrangers and session men. Occasionally he finds the time to gather his trio together and record under his own name. On this occasion, he’s focusing his highly individual touch on the Hammond organ, which, incidentally, was acquired years ago from Fonseca’s friend and mentor, Ed Lincoln. Like many contemporary jazz organists – most prominently, John Medeski – Fonseca articulates his Hammond lines with (mostly electric) keyboard counterpoints, which, naturally, personalizes the wonderful whole that is Opus Samba, his debut album for producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro’s progressive JSR (Jazz Station Records) label. Fabio Fonseca was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1961. He began playing piano at eight and while in his teens he balanced studies of classical music with electric experiments on the Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, MiniMoog and Yamaha organ in the company of other young, local musicians. In 1981, Fonseca was invited by drummer Sergio Naidin to join Nota Vermelha, a band of young locals including future Brazilian pop stars Fernanda Abreu and Leo Jaime.

A year later, at the age of 22, Fonseca was invited to play with the funk band, Brylho, whose singer and guitarist, Claudio Zoli, later went on to solo success, with three albums produced by former bandmate Fonseca. Fonseca made his debut as a recording artist in 1985 with his band, Cinema-a-Dois, on the national hit “Não Me Iluda” (RCA). His eponymous solo debut was issued by WEA in 1988, right before he joined Ed Motta’s band, where he wrote what became Motta’s signature hit, the funked-out dance floor classic, “Manuel”. The 1992 album, Tradução Simultânea (Philips), featured much of Fonseca’s best work of the time and was notable for the beautiful “A Mulher de 15 Metros”, with Luiz Melodia sharing vocal duties and the legendary João Donato providing a sumptuous orchestral arrangement and lyrical piano accompaniment. To witness these early triumphs, listeners can sample both “Manuel” and the otherwise unavailable Donato arrangement of “A Mulher de 15 Metros” on the fourth volume of producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro’s spectacular A Trip To Brazil (Universal) series. The gregarious Fabio Fonseca spent the rest of the twentieth century’s last decade establishing his credentials as an influential producer for former bandmate Fernanda Abreu and many others including Marina Lima, Luiz Melodia, Edson Cordeiro, and rapper Gabriel O Pensador. His musical work over the last fifteen years also includes many arrangements and dates on a variety of keyboards for such artists as Lulu Santos, Dom Um Romão, João Donato, Ithamara Koorax, Ed Motta, Seu Jorge, and the rock band Paralamas. Mr. Fonseca has also worked with producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro on many live projects including Dom Um Romão and Ithamara Koorax’s successful 1998 European tour and the sold-out gigs the Fabio Fonseca Trio performed during the JSR Festival at the Sofitel Jazz Bar in May 2006.

Here, the Fabio Fonseca Trio follows up its 2002 release, Tudo (Jardim Magnético) with Opus Samba (JSR), a brilliant and beautiful tribute to much that came before it in the Brazilian Hammond tradition and a signpost for the way forward. “All tracks were recorded ‘live’ in the studio,” enthuses the producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro, “in only three days, plus a fourth day for some overdubs. Plus, most of the songs were first takes. “Even though Fabio already had an excellent studio (Magnetic Garden Studios), where we’d recorded together before, we felt that we needed a bigger place to give the musicians a chance to interact with other as if performing live.” That prompted Fonseca to build a new studio in Petropolis, where he and DeSouteiro are neighbors, that provided the opportunity to create a larger-than-life sound which is the hallmark of legendary engineer (and CTI sound man) Rudy Van Gelder. “Fonseca explained to a Swiss architect what we wanted,” the producer continues. “And the studio was built in eight months, with a high ceiling and a polycentric arch that proved perfect for the ‘hot and fat’ drum sound a la Bernard Purdie that we considered essential to the album’s atmosphere.” The footprints of many of Fonseca’s Hammond heroes can be heard tapping – or pumping pedals – here, from Walter Wanderley, Charles Earland, the CTI/Kudu albums of Johnny Hammond and more recently, Joey DeFrancesco. But one listen reveals that Fabio Fonseca walks in no one’s shoes. So now take a journey through Brazil’s rich Hammond organ tradition with the Fabio Fonseca Trio and discover the exciting places it’s headed with Opus Samba and, most of all, enjoy… Douglas Payne January 17, 2007 Mr. Douglas Payne is regarded as one of the most important historians in the contemporary jazz scene. He has written liner notes for albums by such artists as Oscar Peterson, Lalo Schifrin, Clare Fischer, Oliver Nelson, Yusef Lateef, Hank Crawford, Lonnie Smith, Cal Tjader and Gary McFarland. He also created a fabulous website about CTI Records

Band Members:
 Fabio Fonseca - Hammond B3, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clavinet, Mini-Moog, vocals.
 Pedro Leão - bass.
 Mac Willian - drums, percussion. 

DJ SHANTISAN
www.saltedsoul.at
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 1)

Grown up and socialized in a small place in Lower Austria, Herbert Bachhofer, better known as Shantisan, got in touch with the Black Music Culture very early. Influenced by friends and family he irresistibly had to start collecting records. A wide selection of hip-hop and downbeat records eventually led him to collecting Soul, Afro, Jazz, Bossa Nova and especially Brazilian records. Having all those fine records at home he felt the drive to play them in front of a dancing audience. 

After several Dj-sets, the foundation of his own musical platform was the next important step for Shantisan in order to get his own thing together: Salted Soul a non-purist Afro Grooves, Brazilian Rhythms, Downbeat, House and Drum n Bass mix was born as a label and as a kind of trade mark for his parties which are now taking place in several locations all over Austria, reaching Brazil, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Greece. 

Until now Shantisan has done several Remixes as well as Re-Edits, including the well known "Oba La Vem Ela"-Re-Rub, released on Jazz Rec. in 2005 or the musical production for the project "Deploy" which features Austrian bass player Jojo Lackner as well as singer Lilith who has worked in several collaborations, for example with Parov Stelar. Deploy was released on Salted Soul Records in 2007. Recent works were the collaboration 'S.O.S.' together with the Austrian producer/ Dj Stefan Obermaier which was released on Sol*Selectas in New York, a remix for the German producer/ Dj Quincy Jointz (Geriba), a remix for Timewarp Inc., a remix for Basement Freaks, a remix for the Austrian Nu-Funk Legend Ed Royal, Brazil‘s Dj Soneca aka Trotter or another remix for Just Banks, Dj Farrapo, Roland Schwarz, Danny Massure, jazz.K.lipa, as well as Empresarios from the Fort Knox label! 

At the moment Shantisan is also working in a collaboration with Etage Noir's Roland Schwarz- An excerpt of this work can be heard on the excellent Jockey tunes E.P. 1 that was released on Galopp Records! 

Shantisan's true musical passion is Brazilian music which is definitely shown in his work with Brazilian singer Micheline Cardoso. His track „Favela Funk“ feat. Micheline Cardoso & Stefan Obermaier was released on Innvison Records. 

Shantisan‘s Brazilian Bossa & Drum'n'Bass fusion "Bring Back The Bossa Rock" was released in November 2008 on Resense Records. This record was number 1 seller at the Juno Broken Beat Charts in England for 2 weeks, his successor track "Aquela E Minha Menina" also reached 1 on Juno's Breakbeat charts on August 24, 2009!!!! 

Hopefully you can catch one of those legendary Salted Soul parties - keep in mind: "It's Salted Soul Baby!" 

BOCO DO RIO
www.bocodorio.com
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 1)

Boca do Rio is música orgânica. Live music inspired by the thousands of musicians and the music lovers that have gone before us and laid the rhythmic foundations of samba, baião, samba-reggae, the dances for the orishas, and all that gives homage to the beats. It is the African diaspora alive through rhythms and pulses – it is the commonality that binds humans to the air we breathe, the food from which we nourish, the water we imbibe, and the love through which we flourish. Boca do Rio exists to share and celebrate music and everything that it brings to our lives through the cross-pollination of the Americas. It’s the water that flows from mountains to oceans, from inside to out. It’s the earth beneath our feet, the soil beneath the concrete, the minerals from the stars that grace each of our cells.

The San Francisco band Boca do Rio takes its name from the Portuguese “mouth of the river” – the place where myriad streams and sources converge into one powerful, flowing, physical energy. 

Kevin Welch on guitar & vocals:
Kevin Welch, Boca’s leader, composer, guitarist, and vocalist, embodies this concept by virtue of his personal and musical history, having lived in the Amazon and become fluent in Portuguese as well as immersed in – and transformed by – samba. In the mid-1990s he started the group Vivendo de Pão, which became a mainstay on San Francisco’s club and festival scene and opened for touring acts like Macy Gray and Los Van Van. For Boca do Rio, Welch has assembled a superb team of Brazilian and American musicians to give voice to his vibrant compositions, which he terms música organica – music that is explicitly influenced by his connection to Brazil but filtered through the sensibilities of his California base, which he shares with his versatile accompanists and musical partners.

Band Members:
Alex Calatayud - Pandeiro
John Evans - Bass
Scott Johnson - Drums
Kevin Welch - Guitar & Vocals
Larry De La Cruz - Sax

KATIA ROCHA
www.katiarocha.com.br
(As Featured on Brazil:Sambossica 2)

Katia Rocha is a Brazilian Instrumentalist, composer and interpret, and has been on the road more then 10 years in crafting her music ability. A peaceful woman born under the sign of Taurus, but at the same time a stage energetic swinging musician, Katia has always has a very eclectic taste for music. Some of her influences include Billie Holiday, Milton Nascimento and Jethro Tull. She started her studies on transversal flutein college before picking up her things and moving to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During this time she also studied Singing, Saxophone, acoustic guitar and musical harmony. 

Her history with the Sax has began years ago when her father gave her a saxophone. Soon after she felt it was awkward and sold it. Later the without realizing it, the Saxophone would become her musical instrument of choice and the beginning of her career. In the 80's she played in various bands throughout Brazil and released her first album in 1992. In 1996, she decided to part ways with her band and go solo and release a new album titled - Katia Rocha. The album would feature a wide variety of composers and producers including: Leandro Braga, plus participants from Ze Renato and Elisa Lucinda. The song Espirito Santino was written about the beauties of her homeland, and has become one of the dearest of songs for the hometowners. 

To get the full Bio and history on this amazing talent, please visit her website at http://www.katiarocha.com.br/