Michel Nirenberg Brazilian Quartet at Twins Jazz

“In terms of style, substance, and execution, Nirenberg ranks high. This is some brilliant Brazilian jazz." - Dan Bilawski of All About Jazz. “A player who uses virtuosity not for self-­aggrandizement but to glorify the music.” - Raul da Gama, Latin Jazz Network

The music of saxophone master and composer Michel Nirenberg builds bridges between the classical, samba, and choro music that he learned growing up in Brazil and the jazz music he explored more deeply as a graduate student in the States. 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. It soared on the American CMJ radio charts peaking at No. 6. Nirenberg returns to Twins Jazz on his on his fall tour of the US to share the vibrant melodies and rhythms of his native Brazil with world music and jazz fans. ...

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“In terms of style, substance, and execution, Nirenberg ranks high. This is some brilliant Brazilian jazz." - Dan Bilawski of All About Jazz. “A player who uses virtuosity not for self-­aggrandizement but to glorify the music.” - Raul da Gama, Latin Jazz Network

The music of saxophone master and composer Michel Nirenberg builds bridges between the classical, samba, and choro music that he learned growing up in Brazil and the jazz music he explored more deeply as a graduate student in the States. 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. It soared on the American CMJ radio charts peaking at No. 6. Nirenberg returns to Twins Jazz on his on his fall tour of the US to share the vibrant melodies and rhythms of his native Brazil with world music and jazz fans.

Listeners will hear selections from the album along with exciting new compositions 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. Nirenberg begins and ends the piece with a traditional capoeira chant. He will also cover “Espinha de Bacalhau,” one of Brazil’s most beloved choros, written by the great Severino Araújo in 1937. The title, which means "spine of a cod" refers to the tune’s up-tempo speed and technical difficulty. Fortunately, these international musicians are quite up to the task.

Two shows, 9 pm and 11 pm

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