Tempero Brasileiro

Description

Tempero Brasileiro is a Brazilian music flute and guitar duo which can expand to include other instruments including percussion, and vocalist. The ensemble performs Brazilian popular musics including choro, samba and bossa nova and can include other Latin American repertoire in its program.

“Tempero Brasileiro” means “Brazilian seasoning/flavor” and reflects the duo’s diverse background of classical (Julie Koidin) and jazz (Neal Alger) which they add to their long background in Brazilian genres. They “season” their selections with a sprinkle of classical and a pinch of jazz for a tasty offering!

Neal Alger is one of the Chicago area’s premiere jazz guitarists and Julie Koidin is one of the few Brazilian choro specialists in the U.S. with a nationally broadcast radio show on the WFMT Network – “A Joyful Cry: Brazil’s Choro Music.”

Work Sample

https://duotemperobrasileiro.com/

"Sarau pra Radamés" by Paulinho da Viola. 3'51" - Recorded approx. Jan. 2020. Genre: samba-choro-novo. We play a variety of Brazilian & S. American genres with a twist of classical and jazz incorporated into our interpretation. We can modify our repertoire depending on audience - from tangos to sambas, bossa nova and choro.

https://duotemperobrasileiro.com/

"Na Gloria" by Raul de Barros. 1'53" - Recorded approx. Jan. 2020. Genre: Brazilian choro. We play a variety of Brazilian & S. American genres with a twist of classical and jazz incorporated into our interpretation. We can modify our repertoire depending on audience - from tangos to sambas, bossa nova and choro.

https://duotemperobrasileiro.com/

"Doce de Coco" by Jacob do Bandolim. 1'52" - Recorded approx. Jan. 2020. Genre: Brazilian choro - (slow choro). We play a variety of Brazilian & S. American genres with a twist of classical and jazz incorporated into our interpretation. We can modify our repertoire depending on audience - from tangos to sambas, bossa nova and choro.

The three examples show the variety of choro - from choro novo - with a hint of samba ("Sarau pra Radamés") to traditional choro which is fast paced ("Na Glória") to slow/lyrical choro ("Doce de Coco").

Julie's work includes her doctoral dissertation on flutist Benedicto Lacerda (a popular choro artist from the first half of the 20th century - traditional choro); a choro radio documentary on WFMT including interviews with current composers (Paulinho da Viola is a leading Brazilian musician and composer); and a book in both Portuguese and English ("Os Sorrisos do Choro" and "Choro Conversations" - published in 2011 and 2013 respectively). She has also recorded various CDs of choro music with Paulinho Garcia and other artists.

History

Tempero Brasileiro is a Brazilian music flute and guitar duo which can expand to include other instruments such as percussion and vocalist. The ensemble performs Brazilian choro, samba and bossa novao as well as other Brazilian, Central and South American popular musics. “Tempero Brasileiro” means “Brazilian seasoning/flavor” and reflects the duo’s diverse background of classical (Julie Koidin) and jazz (Neal Alger) which they add to their long background in Brazilian genres. They “season” their selections with a sprinkle of classical and a pinch of jazz for a tasty offering!

Neal Alger is one of the Chicago area’s premiere jazz guitarists and Julie Koidin is one of the few Brazilian choro specialists in the U.S. with a nationally broadcast radio show on the WFMT Network – “A Joyful Cry: Brazil’s Choro Music.” Julie has also been a member of the ArtsTour Roster with her other groups - Dois no Choro and Tiempo Tango.

Tempero Brasileiro began in approximately 2018 and has performed in various Illinois libraries and senior living establishments as well as private and corporate functions.

Artistic Vision

We enjoy the combination of our varied backgrounds of jazz (Neal) and classical (Julie) and seek to give a new interpretation to traditional Brazilian repertoire (as well as other Latin American genres). We also want to promote living composers which include our own compositions.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

When working with all audiences we like to encourage audience participation. For example, the "Na Glória" piece we teach the audience a couple scat words to say ("Hey baba reeba" - for example) - and then they join in with us towards the end of the music. If we do a combined "book talk-concert" - we encourage questions and conversation with the audience.

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

In 2015, Julie Koidin founded the Chicago Choro Club in conjunction with her radio documentary on WFMT. The "CCC" is a community project whereby community members can join in the performance. We have performed for various events including Navy Pier's Brazil Day, the Evanston CommUnity Picnic and the Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival - in all the community joins in our performances. Choro, by its nature, is a communal music - and in Tempero Brasileiro it is also our great pleasure to have our audiences participate in our music - through singing, clapping and dancing.