An Introduction to Grupo Bossa!

Based in the midlands, UK, Grupo Bossa is an exciting new jazz ensemble specialising in the subtle and emotive music that is bossa nova. Featuring the vocal talents of Portugal’s Carmelia Mar, backed by specially assembled trio’s including Porto’s own maestro of jazz, Fino Lopes (guitar/bass) and Midlands-based World music percussionist, Lee Boyd Allatson (drums). The bossa nova (or ‘new trend’) is a relaxed style of samba which was first seen in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The music’s rhythms are simplifications of those found in samba, with song emphasis placed on lyrics, harmony and less conventional chords. Grupo Bossa will showcase traditional songs by the likes of Consuelo Velázquez, Osvaldo Farrés and of course, the bossa nova master, Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as the infectious rhythms of bolero, samba and some Latin American reworks of jazz standards and pop tunes.