Claudia Villela Band: Brazilian jazz for the New Millenium

Sunday, June 23, 7:30 pm
Campbell Recital Hall
GA: $45, Student: $15

As a child in Rio, singer Claudia Villela fell asleep to the sounds of a nearby samba school, and awoke to her mother’s singing and her father’s harmonica playing. “My singing is the sum of all the music I’ve heard, from Brazilian baroque to bossa nova to free jazz.” Her self-taught, five-octave range was fully formed when she arrived in the U.S. to refine her jazz chops under the tutelage of Sheila Jordan and Ray Brown. The result is a startling and intuitive musical sensibility that goes beyond samba and boss: She channels visionaries like Egberto Gismonti and Milton Nascimento. Says Bela Fleck: “I was blown away by Claudia’s ability and musicality. She is pure music.” This special performance will include Claudia playing piano and percussion on her own original compositions as well as several Brazillian classics!

Jazz Organ Blowout with Chester Thompson, Tony Monaco, and Midori Ono

Friday, June 28, 8:00 pm
Dinkelspiel Auditorium
Premium: $45, Reserved: $38, Student: $15

Popularized by Jimmy Smith in the mid-’50s and ’60s, the classic jazz organ trio is a sound that is central to the soul of jazz. The Hammond B-3 organ is capable of incredible expressivity and sensitivity as well as outright power, and the three organists on this special presentation are all virtuosos, having made their own unique contributions to the legend, lore, and excitement of the genre. Co-presented by the Stanford Jazz Festival and the Jazz Organ Fellowship, tonight’s show is a special tribute to former Tower of Power and Santana organist Chester Thompson (composer of “Squib Cakes”), backed by guitarist Bruce Forman and drummer Darrel Green. Also on the bill are the amazing Hammond organists Tony Monaco and Midori Ono, each backed by a groove-oriented, all-star rhythm section.