Saudade by Renato Braz, with the Paul Winter Consort, Dori Caymmi, Ivan Lins, and the Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble

Regarded in Brazil as “the João Gilberto of the 21th century,” Renato Braz is presented here in his debut album for the US, along with the Paul Winter Consort, Dori Caymmi, Ivan Lins, and The Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble. With his sublime clarion voice, Renato sings 14 of the most beautiful songs to ever come forth from Brazil, composed by Dori Caymmi, Edu Lobo, Ivan Lins, Chico Buarque, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Theo de Barros, Mario Gil, and Oscar Castro-Neves. The album is imbued with the spirit of longing the Brazilians describe with their word “saudade.”

RENATO BRAZ/Saudade:“The singular voice of Renato Braz is the focal point around which the songs pivot. The arrangements are lyrically strong as well. Braz has that it that makes everything right on the album. The time is never wrong for true saudade. Like the blues, it is perennial. And the time seems exceptionally right for it now. Hear this! Wow!" - Greg Applegate Edwards, Applegate Review

RENATO BRAZ/Saudade:" A decade in the making, you can definitely call this a Paul Winter labor of love. Brought about meeting a singer that took him back to the reason for his first falling in love with Brazilian sounds, Winter rounded up his posse to provide the proper setting for this
fine vocalist that feels what he sings and packs every syllable with emotion. Certainly one of those records that was made because it had to be made, this is a look at the Brazil we all know and love, but this look is taken after hours. Killer stuff that there’s nothing sad about.” - Chris Spector, Editor, Midwest Record Review

RENATO BRAZ/Saudade: “Saudade (the Portuguese word for “longing”) is a collection of serene, elegantly performed songs written by celebrated composers of decades past. Supported by the Paul Winter Consort, a bevy of top-flight Brazilian instrumentalists and a Russian vocal ensemble, Braz’s sincere and soothing vocals illuminate the poetic lyrics and float over the spare arrangements with angelic purpose.” - Mark Holston, JAZZIZ Magazine

Paul Winter is a seven-time Grammy-winning saxophonist, whose sextet was the first jazz group to perform at the White House in 1962. His second group, the Paul Winter Consort, interweaves sounds from the natural world with classical and ethnic traditions, and the spontaneous spirit of jazz. Their annual Winter Solstice Celebrations and Earth Mass are among the most popular events in New York.

paulwinter.com