Lecture by jazz vocalist and composer Luciana Souza. Using the styles and rhythms of her native Brazil, Souza will describe her process for writing jazz pieces. Souza will go over the basic elements of samba, bossa nova, baião, and choro.
Grammy-winner Luciana Souza is one of jazz’s leading singers and interpreters. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Souza’s work transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles. Souza has performed and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Bobby McFerrin, Maria Schneider, Danilo Perez, Guillermo Klein, John Patitucci, and many others. She has been a prominent soloist in important new works by composers Osvaldo Golijov, Derek Bermel and Patrick Zimmerli, performing with the New York Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the American Composers Orchestra. Souza has been releasing acclaimed recordings since 2002—including her six Grammy-nominated records Brazilian Duos, North and South, Duos II, Tide, Duos III, and The Book of Chet.
She spent four years on the faculty at Berklee College of Music, where she received a bachelor's degree in jazz composition. Souza earned a master's degree in jazz studies from the New England Conservatory of Music and taught for four years at Manhattan School of Music. She has twice been named Best Female Jazz Singer by the Jazz Journalists Association, in 2005 and 2013.
Listen to Luciana Souza discussing her new album on NPR: