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Brazilian Bash participant, vocalist Luciana Souza.

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Brazilian Bash: Brasil Guitar Duo, The Brazilian Guitar Quartet, and Luciana Souza »

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• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts »
  500 S. Goodwin Ave. Urbana, IL 61801
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On Saturday, September 12, Ellnora: The Guitar Festival brought a Brazilian Bash filled with sounds of samba, bossa nova, and classical Brazilian music to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. The afternoon performance in Foellinger Great Hall kicked off with the Brasil Guitar Duo, better known as João Luiz and Douglas Lora. The two musicians from São Paulo stunned the crowd with their interpretations of both Brazilian and Italian compositions. Playing their guitars with a sense of ease and passion, the music poured through the room as if there were more than two pairs of hands on stage. Following a powerfully fast-paced opening song, the Brasil Guitar Duo eased back the tempo into a heart-wrenching love song, for which no lyrics were needed as the guitars flawlessly sang of the emotion of a feeling.

The Brazilian Guitar Quartet was next to hit the stage. The four guitarists showcased a classical mix of Brasilera music, a style of urban bossa nova. The enrapturing arrangements were fluid and elegant, the very definition of serenity and tranquility. The quartet showcased numbers from each of their four albums, giving the audience an exposure to composers like Heitor Villa-Lobos, Antônio Carlos Gomes, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Luciana Souza and Romero Lubambo tied the afternoon together in the finale with a unique blend of bossa nova, samba, and jazz. Souza is a Grammy Award winner from São Paulo who attended both Berklee College of Music in Boston, and The New England Conservatory of Music. She was accompanied by accomplished guitar soloist, Romero Lubambo from Rio de Janeiro. Souza's sensually charged vocals complimented Lubambo's fierce intensity on the guitar. Their performance was filled with arresting scat singing and enlightening explanations of the Brazilian numbers. Souza sang a wordless piece by Paul Simon titled "Amulet," in which her voice overtook the entire hall. The two musicians visibly had fun on stage, constantly laughing and thanking one another after every song.

Each act received a gracious standing ovation from the audience as everyone left the show with a small taste of the finest in Brazilian sounds.