Beatriz Azevedo

Poet, singer and composer Beatriz Azevedo is a Brazilian multi-artist. Graduated in Performing Arts, studied dramaturgy at Sala Beckett in Barcelona and music at Mannes College of Music and at Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in New York. She won the "Bolsa Virtuose", grant from the Ministry of Culture of Brazil.

The label Biscoito Fino is releasing in 2008 her new cd ALEGRIA (Joy), with 12 original songs composed and produced by Beatriz Azevedo, where she sings with TOM ZÉ and VINICIUS CANTUARIA.

Alegria was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and New York, with the best musicians around, like Anat Cohen, Bocato, Cristovao Bastos, Jorge Helder, Jamie and Michael Leonhart.

In the last years Beatriz Azevedo presented her concert at many international festivals, like Dunya Festival (The Netherlands), Copa da Cultura World Soccer Cup (Germany), Premiere Brazil MoMA Museum of Modern Art New York (United States), Verizon Music Festival (United States) and others.

"Bum Bum do Poeta", first CD by Beatriz Azevedo, was released in Brazil by Caetano Veloso's label Natasha Records and in Japan by Nippon Crown Records. "Mapa-mundi [samba and poetry]" is the second CD of Beatriz Azevedo produced by Ale Siqueira, whose production credits also include Elza Soares, Carlinhos Brown and Marisa Monte albums.

Beatriz Azevedo's music features on the compilation "Brazil: The Essential Album" alongside Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Elis Regina, Joao Gilberto and others Brazilian masters, released by the UK label Union Square Music. Also in England the CD "Bossa Nova Nights" contains a further two tracks by Beatriz Azevedo.

Beatriz Azevedo's band in NY included Smokey Hormel (Tom Waits, Beck), Mauro Refosco (Forro in the Dark, David Byrne), Didi Gutman (Brazilian Girls), Marivaldo dos Santos and David Heilman (Stomp), Michael Leonhart (Lenny Kravitz, Vinicius Cantuaria) and Bill Holcomb (U-town).

Beatriz appeared as Vinicius Cantuaria's special guest in his shows in NYC; they created some songs together for the new albums of Vinicius: "Silva" (Hannibal/Rykodisc) and "Horse and Fish" (Ryko). Beatriz Azevedo also appeared as special guest with Cyro Baptista in the show Beat the Donkey in New York.

Lucas Vargas

He started to study classical piano when he was nine years old with the German teacher Maria Seidel. When he was sixteen, he initiated his study of Jazz and Brazilian Music with the professor of Popular Piano Hilton Jorge Valente (Gogô) at the University of Campinas (Unicamp).

He played in Workshops with the pianist and regent Nelson Ayres. HE graduated in Music Composition at University Santa Marcelina, where he had lessons with Kollreuter, Alê Siqueira, Sílvio Ferraz and Flo Menezes.

As a Pianist, Keyboard player and Acordeonist he developed an intense activity in São Paulo musical scene, acting with artists as Chico Cesar, Vanessa da Mata, Zeca Balero, Guinga, Cristóvão Bastos, Bocato, Beatriz Azevedo, among others.

He also has detached together to the group Mandu Sarará, a young Instrumental revelation of the Brazilian Jazz, whose first CD has the participation of Hermeto Pascoal.