Jobim in Jazz with Adolfo Mendonça Trio

Celebrating 60 years of Bossa Nova in America

Join us as we celebrate 60 Years of Bossa Nova in America with the Adolfo Mendonça Trio on Thursday May 19, 2022 at 8:00 PM.

60 years ago Brazilian music exploded in the United States when Stan Getz, Luiz Bonfa, Joao Gilberto and Sergio Mendes performed at Carnegie Hall in 1962, launching an interest in Brazilian music and composers including Antonio Carlos Jobim. Legendary recordings such as Getz/Gilberto led Jobim to unprecedented popularity and his “The Girl From Ipanema” became one of the most performed songs ever. “Jobim in Jazz” is a once in a lifetime musical experience with a set-list comprised only of songs composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Adolfo Mendonça and his trio take the repertoire into two different approaches: “Some songs must be played the way they were recorded, or they lose the feeling”, says Mendonça about songs such as “Dindi” and “Quite Nights of Quiet Starts”.  However, others, such as “No More Blues”, “Desafinado” and others, go into a fresh direction, being reinterpreted as Brazilian jazz. That intersection between jazz and Brazilian music is Mendonça’s area of expertise as an award-winning jazz improvisor. He has performed on three continents and has a long background of teaching Brazilian and American music in guest lectures in several top-ranked Latin American colleges and conservatories.

Mendonça returns to Tampa Bay after more than two years since his last performance. Currently living in Iowa, where he pursues his PhD in music, some of his recent activities include receiving an award in a Brazilian music piano competition, a sold-out performance at Blue Note Sao Paulo and the recording of his new album. Adolfo Mendonça is joined by Alejandro Arenas (bass) and Mark Feinman (drums) from La Lucha and will feature special guests such David Manson (trombone) from “O Som do Jazz” and the Helios big band.

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