Feliz Ano Novo!
Happy New Year!
I fell in love with Brazilian singer Elis Regina when I was 15 years old. At 17, with a broken heart over loosing my first love, I decided to make a recording hoping to have him back. Edu, a childhood friend, helped me produce a cassette tape with emotionally charged songs by Elis. He brought his silver 1976 Philips tape recorder to my parents’ house and we did everything in the living room. I read some of my poems on top of the songs and he mixed it on the spot. Did my first love come back to me? No, but I learned a lesson. I expressed my feelings and Elis’ music helped me heal.
Last December, my first sweetheart told me he still has that tape. I felt special. Just like Elis was special to me.
Join me on Saturday, January 21 at 7pm @ Brasil Brasil Cultural Center in Los Angeles, California for a special Tribute to Elis.
We’ll celebrate her life with a Photo Art exhibition + Video Screening + Live Show.
"It's a shame Elis Regina never appeared in the USA. She was the greatest, my favorite singer ever. All that power and emotion and incredibly expressive phrasing. Had she toured here even once they'd still be talking about her." Brick Wahl, LA Weekly
“ELIS, A CELEBRATION” is a tribute to one of Brazil’s greatest and most influential singers. “Elis & Tom,” recorded in Los Angeles in 1974 with the master of modern Brazilian popular music, Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim is considered one of the top ten Brazilian records of all time. Her extraordinary expressive voice and incredible sense of rhythm mixed with a controversial personality was cut short when she died tragically in January 1982 of a combination of cocaine and alcohol.
Elis began her career in the 1960’s during the dictatorship and helped launch the career of composers Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins, João Bosco, Aldir Blanc, Tim Maia, Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, and many more. Singers Marisa Monte, Leila Pinheiro and Daniela Mercury cite Elis as a strong influence in their music. Among her 31 recordings between 1961 and 1982 are the extremely popular three live records (Dois na Bossa) with singer Jair Rodrigues.
“Elis, a Celebration” hopes to enrich the knowledge of an audience who wants to discover what Brazil is all about. The night will mix live music with a slide show, video screening and a photo exhibition by photographer Jorge Vismara.
The event will feature music by Katia Moraes featuring musicians Antonio Sant’Anna, Leo Costa, Mitchell Long and Bill Brendle. Brad Austin is in charge of the set design and Brazilian photographer Caesar Lima signed the official poster. This is the first time Brasil Brasil Cultural Center will present a tribute to a great Brazilian singer.
Crew of the event! From left: Brad Austin (set designer), Katia Moraes (concept/production), Marcia Argolo (production/marketing), Amen Santo and Nayla Santo (directors of Brasil Brasil Cultural Center) and Jorge Vismara (Photo/art exhibition and video screening)
A creative invite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOmJenhcMuY&feature=email
A creative invite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOmJenhcMuY&feature=email
Calendar Listing
DATE/TIME: Saturday, January 21, 2011 - 7:00 pm
VENUE: Brasil Brasil Cultural Center
11928 Washington Blvd. (c/s Inglewood), Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 397-3667 / www.brasilbrasil.org
TICKETS: $15 General, $10 Students and seniors
For more information, call: visit: www. www.katiamoraes.com
