'Brazil Before Bossa' with Amber Epp & Emmanuel Bach

'Brazil Before Bossa' celebrates the rich sounds that shaped Brazilian music before the bossa nova era of the late 1950s. Featuring Brazilian guitarist Emmanuel Bach and Canadian vocalist Amber Epp, this presentation reveals the musical journey that led to the global popularity of bossa nova through the work of Antonio Carlos Jobim and "The Girl from Ipanema."

This concert takes audiences through four key musical periods that influenced Brazilian music:

- The foundational choro period with composer Pixinguinha, who blended traditional choro music with modern jazz and Afro-Brazilian rhythms
- The samba era influenced by President Getúlio Vargas's “Estado Novo” (New State) nationalism, which promoted Brazilian culture while limiting foreign influences
- The samba canção movement during the golden age of radio, highlighted by crooners like Dick Farney, often called the Brazilian Frank Sinatra
- The rise of bossa nova, featuring the iconic “Girl from Ipanema”

Audiences will hear traces of Jobim’s brilliance in these melodies and discover that the essence of bossa nova thrived long before it gained worldwide recognition. These rhythms and harmonies form the basis of one of the world’s most loved genres.

Emmanuel Bach brings authenticity as a native Brazilian with over twenty years of professional experience. He has collaborated with Brazilian legends like Ivan Lins, Airto Moreira, Flora Purim, and Filó Machado. Alongside Amber Epp, who excels in Latin jazz and performs fluently in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, they make a great team for this multilingual musical journey. Their work in "Música Brasileira" for the 2025 TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival has shown their knack for creating deep and rich explorations of Brazilian music, going beyond bossa nova and samba to reveal the full range of the country's musical heritage.

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Jazz at the Fort Garry Hotel is located in The Club Room on the lower level of The Fort Garry Hotel. The venue is wheelchair accessible with assistance - please inform the hotel's front desk staff if you'd like to use the elevator to access the lower level.