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Lea Freire

LEA FREIRE's "Cartas Brasileiras" (Brazilian Letters - 2007) is receiving the enthusiastic applause of either public and critic, in many languages. Its music is the confluence of the three main musical forces that coexist in Brazil today : African, European and Native Indian. "Vento em Madeira", the first track of this album, is a beautifull combination of these influences. With an invited orquestra adding to 62 (sixty two) musicians, it is a colossal production of her label Maritaca, specialized in the best Brazilian Instrumental Music.

Her first CD, “Ninhal” (meaning the collective of birds nests), is still very well received by public and critic and some of the songs, specially 'Vatapa' have been recorded already in Japan, German, Italy, USA and by various artists in Brazil.

Fully recognized as a very creative composer, some of her pieces are now being played by flutists in concerts in Europe and USA. In Sept 98 she played at Miami University and the Blue Note in NY, as a special guest of Teco Cardoso, and recorded her second album - “Quinteto”, featuring her duo with sax and flute player Teco Cardoso, released in 99.

In 2005 released two albuns with trombonist Bocato 'Brazilian Song Anthology vol.1 and vol.2 featuring the most beautiful balads of Brazilian composers such as Nelson Cavaquinho, Ary Barroso, Tom Jobim, Lupicinio Rodrigues and others. This album was extremely well received by critics and public and the vol.2 is highly expected for the second semester.

Touring in Europe in 2006, she co-produced with pianist Thomas Clausen an CD - "Waterbikes" that is being released in Danmark and Brazil, featuring Lea's an Thomas's compositions, with Teco Cardoso, Fernando Demarco (bass) and Afonso Correa (drums and percussion).

As a producer of Brazilian Contemporary Instrumental Music through Maritaca (www.maritaca.art.br) - her label company - she has produced more than thirty CDs featuring names like Arismar do Espirito Santo, Filo Machado, Bocato, Vinicius Dorin, Thiago Espirito Santo, Silvia Goes, Tibo Delor, Edu Ribeiro, Mane Silveira, Teco Cardoso, Guello, Naylor “Proveta” Azevedo, Laercio de Freitas, Heloisa Fernandes and many others.

'...Brazilian Letters' should be posted to all mailboxes in the world as a testimony to the creativity and talent that this country has. It is a thing to be proud of: look ! I come from this country ! Sergio Santos, by e- mail - September 2007

'... Brazilian Letters' is one of the most beautiful and exciting works I’ve heard in my life. All in it is perfect: repertoire, arrangements, graphic design, conducting and performances of a flock of crazy of wisdom and talent musicians. The sound of all tracks, even being recorded with so different formations and at different studios and eras, is wonderful.’ Mauricio Carrilho, by e-mail - June 2007.

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Album Review

Felipe Senna & Câmaranóva: Câmara Brasileira

Read "Câmara Brasileira" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright


Câmaranóva is a chamber orchestra dedicated to performing music of living Brazilian composers, with a focus on instrumental music “in its most diverse aspects" (including jazz, folkloric, and popular idioms). Felipe Senna, himself a composer and improviser, is the ensemble's musical director, arranger, and pianist. There are other composer-improvisers in the group, most notably flutist Léa Freire. The ensemble's mission is to present Brazilian instrumental music to a wide audience, in venues that would ordinarily be ...

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73

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Lea Freire

Jazz Musician of the Day: Lea Freire

Source: Michael Ricci



Containing some startling and original music performed with great authority and with all the harmonic and rhythmic complexities expertly negotiated, Léa Freire's new CD, Cartas Brasileiras, comes over richly and seductively to deliver a scintillating dreamscape that commemorates 10 years of the Maritaca record label as well as the 50th birthday of its founder, Léa Freire. A leading light in Brazilian music, Freire continues to break down musical barriers, moving freely between jazz, popular, and classical music. She is an inventive musician who has distinguished herself as a daring flautist, arranger, and composer. Cartas Brasileiras represents her writing at its most impressionistic and inspired. The first thing that strikes you about this recording is the orchestral warmth radiating throughout. Freire brings to the orchestra's embroidery a mesmerizing combination of luminous beauty and reserved expressiveness, and with this, new hope that Brazil, a country already rich in woodwind and brass traditions, will achieve a uniquely orchestral voice for its stringed instruments (Bruce Gilmann - Brazil Magazzine in LA)

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Music

Ai, ai ai ai ai

From: Quatro Climas (Four Climates)
By Lea Freire

Você já foi a Bahia? (Dorival Caymmi)

From: Quatro Climas (Four Climates)
By Lea Freire

Gêmeos

From: Quatro Climas (Four Climates)
By Lea Freire

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