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Luciana Souza

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luciana Souza
Born(1966-07-12)12 July 1966(age 58)
São Paulo,Brazil
GenresJazz,bossa nova,pop,classical,chamber
OccupationSinger
Years active1992–present
LabelsSunnyside,Verve
WebsiteLucianaSouza.com

Luciana Souza(born 12 July 1966) is a Brazilian jazz singer and composer who also works in bossa nova, pop, classical and chamber music. She won aGrammy Awardin 2007, and has been nominated for seven others, most recently in 2024. Souza is considered to be one of jazz's leading singers and interpreters.The New York Timescalled her voice "smooth-surfaced, coolly sensuous and dartingly agile."[1]

Early life and education

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Souza was born and raised inSão Paulo,Brazil.[1][2]Her father Walter Santos was a singer, songwriter, and commercial musician who also contributed background vocals to bossa nova recordings byAntônio Carlos JobimandJoão Gilberto,and her mother Tereza Souza was a poet and lyricist.[3][4][5]She began her recording career at age three with a radio commercial.[5]

In 1985, at age 17, she left Brazil for the United States to attendBerklee College of Musicin Boston, where she received a bachelor's degree in jazz composition, and later spent four years as a member of the faculty.[1][2][3]She earned a master's degree in jazz studies from theNew England Conservatory of Musicand taught for four years at theManhattan School of Music.[3]Souza has also taught at theUniversity of California, Los AngelesandCalifornia Institute of the Arts,and since 2024 is a professor at theUSC Thornton School of Music.[6]

Career

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Souza has performed and recorded withHerbie Hancock,Paul Simon,James Taylor,Bobby McFerrin,Maria Schneider,Danilo Pérez,Guillermo Klein,John Patitucci,and others. She has been a soloist in new works by composers includingOsvaldo Golijov,Derek Bermel,Patrick Zimmerli,Rachel Grimes,Angélica Negrón,Shara Nova,Caroline Shaw,andSarah Kirkland Snider,performing with theNew York Philharmonic,Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,Los Angeles Philharmonic,Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra,Los Angeles Master Chorale,American Composers Orchestra,Los Angeles Guitar Quartet,andA Far Cry.[3]

Souza produced her first album,An Answer to Your Silence(1998), herself.[3]For her second album,The Poems of Elizabeth Bishop and Other Songs(2000), she composed a song cycle revolving around the poetry ofElizabeth Bishop,[1]while her 2004 albumNerudafeatures her compositions and vocals set to the words ofPablo Neruda.[7]

Souza appeared in the 2008David MametfilmRedbelt,and cowrote/translated several songs for the soundtrack. Her song "Muita Bobeira" was featured as a music sample onWindows Vista.On her 2012 albumThe Book of Chet,she covers the songs ofChet Baker.[2]Her 2018 albumThe Book of Longingpresents her settings of poems byLeonard Cohen,Emily Dickinson,Edna St. Vincent Millay,andChristina Rossetti.That year, she collaborated and toured with theYellowjacketsin support of their albumRaising Our Voice.[8]

Souza wasSan Francisco Performances' jazz artist in residence from 2005 through 2010.[9]In 2022, she received aChamber Music AmericaNew Jazz Works grant to compose a new album-length piece,Twenty-Four Short Musical Episodes.[10]

She collaborated with Trio Corrente on her 2023 albumCometa,with covers of Brazilian classics and original samba songs.[8]Their performance onNPR'sTiny Deskconcert series premiered on May 10, 2024, with the set list featuring songs fromCometa:"Bem Que Te Avise", "Baião Joy", "Cometa", and "Quando Você Vier".[11]

Personal life

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In 2006, Souza married record producer and musicianLarry Klein.[3]They have one son, Noah.[4]They live in Los Angeles.[12]

Awards and honors

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Souza won aGrammy Awardin 2007 as a featured vocalist on "Amelia" onHerbie Hancock's albumRiver: The Joni Letters.She was nominated forBest Jazz Vocal AlbumforBrazilian Duos(2003),North and South(2004),Duos II(2006),Tide(2010), andThe Book of Chet(2013).[13][14]She was nominated forBest Latin Jazz AlbumforDuos III(2013) andCometa(2024).[15][16]She was named Female Singer of the Year in 2005 and 2013 by theJazz Journalists Association.[15]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2003 Brazilian Duos Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated[17]
2004 North and South Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated[17]
2005 Luciana Souza Jazz Journalists AssociationBest Female Jazz Singer Won[15]
2006 Duos II Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated[17]
2008 River: The Joni Letters Grammy Award for Album of the Year Won[17]
2010 Tide Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated[17]
2013 Duos III Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album Nominated[17]
The Book of Chet Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album Nominated[17]
2013 Luciana Souza Jazz Journalists Association Best Female Jazz Singer Won[15]
2024 Cometa Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album Nominated[17]

Discography

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As leader

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  • An Answer to Your Silence(NYC, 1998)
  • The Poems of Elizabeth Bishop and Other Songs(Sunnyside, 2000)
  • Brazilian Duos(Sunnyside, 2002)
  • Norte e Sul(Sunnyside, 2003)
  • Neruda(Sunnyside, 2004)
  • Duos II(Sunnyside, 2005)
  • The New Bossa Nova(Verve, 2007)
  • Tide(Verve, 2009)
  • Duos III(Sunnyside, 2012)
  • The Book of Chet(Sunnyside, 2012)
  • Speaking in Tongues(Sunnyside, 2015)
  • The Book of Longing(Sunnyside, 2018)
  • Storytellers(Sunnyside, 2020)
  • Cometa(with Trio Corrente, Sunnyside, 2023)
  • Twenty-Four Short Musical Episodes(Sunnyside, 2024)

As guest

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References

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  1. ^abcdTeachout, Terry (4 August 2002)."She's Brazilian, Tempered By a Bit of Everything Else".New York Times.Retrieved15 October2024.
  2. ^abc"Luciana Souza: From Bossa Nova To Chet Baker".NPR. 31 August 2012.Retrieved15 October2024.
  3. ^abcdef"Luciana Souza: Wherever the River Flows".Berklee.Retrieved15 October2024.
  4. ^abTeachout, Terry (13 May 2006)."Shuffle-Play Music".Wall Street Journal.Retrieved15 October2024.
  5. ^abCunniffe, Thomas."Luciana Souza: Passion and Versatility".Jazz History Online.Retrieved15 October2024.
  6. ^"Luciana Souza".USC Thornton School of Music.Retrieved15 October2024.
  7. ^Bowden, Marshall."Luciana Souza: The Book of Longing".New Directions in Music.Retrieved15 October2024.
  8. ^abOuellette, Dan (14 November 2023)."Luciana Souza: Chasing Comets".Downbeat.Retrieved15 October2024.
  9. ^Kaliss, Jeff (17 November 2018)."Luciana Souza Takes a Page From the Book of Longing".Classical Voice.Retrieved15 October2024.
  10. ^"The Jazz Gallery Presents: Luciana Souza".Jazz Speaks. 29 May 2024.Retrieved15 October2024.
  11. ^Contreras, Felix (10 May 2024)."Tiny Desk Premiere: Luciana Souza".NPR.Retrieved15 October2024.
  12. ^"Luciana Souza".Berklee.Retrieved15 October2024.
  13. ^"Souza's 'New Bossa Nova' Covers Pop Standards".npr.org.15 October 2007.Retrieved6 December2014.
  14. ^"Luciana Souza: Revising Pop by Way of Bossa Nova".NPR.org.21 October 2007.Retrieved6 December2014.
  15. ^abcdJurek, Thom."Luciana Souza".AllMusic.Retrieved18 September2019.
  16. ^"2024 GRAMMYs: See The Full Winners & Nominees List".grammy.com.10 November 2023.Retrieved24 September2024.
  17. ^abcdefgh"Luciana Souza".Grammy Awards.Retrieved11 October2024.
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