Brazil in the Gardens: Alexandre Ribeiro and Alessandro Penezzi

Every summer some of Brazil’s greatest musicians gather in the redwoods of Cazadero for California Brazil Camp, and every season several faculty members venture down to the Gardens to share their mesmerizing music. Past concerts have included some of the South American nation’s most celebrated artists, such as Monica Salmaso, Teco Cardoso, Guinga and Fabiana Cozza. This year’s show, “Brazilian Choro” is led by two masters at the forefront of a virtuosic instrumental tradition that marked Brazil’s first African/European musical fusion, clarinetist/composer Alexandre Ribeiro and seven-string guitarist/composer Alessandro Penezzi. Born in late 19th century Rio de Janeiro, choro has undergone repeated revivals over the decades, while influencing almost every subsequent Brazilian idiom, from samba to Brazilian jazz. Frequent performing and recording partners, Penezzi and Ribeiro played an essential role in sparking the choro renaissance of the 1990s. They’ve forged deep ties to many Bay Area musical Brazilophiles and will be joined by several colleagues for an afternoon of jaw-dropping instrumental interplay.

Co-Presented by: