Brazilian Saxophone Master & Composer Michel Nirenberg at An Die Musik Live

Nirenberg will play saxophones and percussion, and will be backed by three international heavy weights:
Brazilian percussionist Alejandro Lucini
Pianist Tim Murphy
Bassist Mike Pope

In recent months, Nirenberg has been making music in his hometown, Rio de Janeiro, collaborating with friends and performing tunes from his 2015 debut album, Retrato/Portrait. First released in the U.S., the recording was well received: On America’s CMJ radio charts, it peaked at No. 6.

Nirenberg first came to the U.S. to attend graduate school. After earning many awards and an undergraduate degree in Brazil, he earned a master’s degree in classical performance from James Madison University in Virginia. Before returning to Brazil he released his first album and joined the roster of Jazz Beyond Borders artists. ...

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Nirenberg will play saxophones and percussion, and will be backed by three international heavy weights:
Brazilian percussionist Alejandro Lucini
Pianist Tim Murphy
Bassist Mike Pope

In recent months, Nirenberg has been making music in his hometown, Rio de Janeiro, collaborating with friends and performing tunes from his 2015 debut album, Retrato/Portrait. First released in the U.S., the recording was well received: On America’s CMJ radio charts, it peaked at No. 6.

Nirenberg first came to the U.S. to attend graduate school. After earning many awards and an undergraduate degree in Brazil, he earned a master’s degree in classical performance from James Madison University in Virginia. Before returning to Brazil he released his first album and joined the roster of Jazz Beyond Borders artists.

In upcoming U.S. appearances like this one, Nirenberg will begin sharing some tunes slated for his next recording. Listeners will hear selections from the album and exciting new pieces meant to introduce American music fans to a wider range of Brazilian jazz and instrumental music styles. Nirenberg’s composition “Faith,” mixes baião, partido alto and maracatu rhythms. His deeply spiritual composition “Bahia de Todos os Santos” is an Ijexá, a rhythm from the state of Bahia in the northeast of Brazil. This arrangement begins and ends with a traditional capoeira chant and percussion solo. As a history buff, Nirenberg enjoys sharing the inspiration for the tunes and their compelling rhythms. He’ll also cover “Espinha de Bacalhau,” one of Brazil’s most popular and recognizable choros, written by the great Severino Araújo in 1937. The title, which means "a fish spine," refers to the fast tempo and technical difficulty. Fortunately, these world-traveled musicians are up to the task.


Tickets: $20 in advance/$23 at door/$10 full-time students with ID

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