Paula Morelenbaum | Allen Morrison - Music Journalist, Jazz Pianist, Songwriter, Lecturer

Lunch with Paula Morelenbaum and Bill Broadfoot, prior to Paula’s gig at Birdland

Friday’s sold-out ‘BossaBrazil’ show at Birdland included a tribute to Astrud Gilberto’s landmark recording of “The Girl From Ipanema,” which is approaching its 50th anniversary. At Birdland it was sung impeccably by the Brazilian bossa nova star Paula Morelenbaum, who shared the bill with another Brazilian great, keyboardist/songwriter Marcos Valle. Before the gig, I had lunch with Atlanta composer/arranger Bill Broadfoot & Paula (see photo); the two are collaborating on a new version of another Astrud song, “Only Trust Your Heart.”

Check this out — the internationally acclaimed Brazilian music artist Paula Morelenbaum will headline a Brazilian music festival at Birdland in NYC, April 24-28. And I get to meet her… because she’s the featured vocalist on “Only Trust Your Heart,” the first single release by my talented client, Atlanta bossa nova composer/arranger Bill Broadfoot and his band Rustic Materials. Paula and her husband, cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, toured and recorded with Antonio Carlos Jobim for a decade before the duo became major ambassadors of Brazilian music to the world. Jaques also appears on “Only Trust Your Heart.” See more info about the Birdland gig below…

Delta Air Lines Presents BOSSABRASIL Festival 2012 featuring Marcos Valle and Paula Morelenbaum

Delta Air Lines Presents BossaBrasil Festival 2012

featuring Composer and Keyboardist Marcos Valle
and Guest Vocalist Paula Morelenbaum

Sponsored by Hotel Edison NYC and Verizon
Produced by Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta

Marcos Valle is one of the major songwriters of Brazilian popular music with songs recorded by Sarah Vaughan, Jay-Z, Diana Krall, Chicago, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Toots Thielemans, Joe Pass, Astrud Gilberto, Bebel Gilberto, Sergio Mendes and more.

Paula Morelenbaum is one of Brazil’s most celebrated singers. After 10 years with Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Band she continued to explore the Bossa legacy with numerous recordings, one with her husband critically acclaimed cellist Jacques Morelenbaum and Jobim’s son Paulo and his grandson Daniel. She received international acclaim in the Trio Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto which featured the prominent Composer and Pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto. The NY Times said their performance at Carnegie Hall “…delivered Jobim’s songs with a sense of almost holy rapture.”

Marcos Valle and Paula Morelenbaum will be accompanied by vocalist Patricia Alvi, bassist Itaiguara Brandao, drummer Renato “Massa” Calmon, trumpeter Jesse Sadoc, Jorge Continentino (sax and flute) and Paul Meyers (guitar).