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Brazil, choro, Gabriela Kozyra

Gabriela Kozyra shows

Andrew Woolf

Here are some photos from a couple of recent gigs with singer Gabi Kozyra. We were performing music again from her amazing album, Noites Brasileiras, which focuses on previously unpublished and unrecorded Brazilian songs.

We played in a trio with Walter Lopes at the Sands Film Studios (a unique and tucked away little gem of a place in Rotherhithe), and then travelled to Poland to play at the Raciborski Cultural Centre, with Walter, Andres Ticino and Sam Watts. Also enjoyed some excellent Polish food and drink while we were over there!

Alvorada, Brazil, choro

Alvorada at London Jazz Festival

Andrew Woolf

Alvorada’s performance in the London Jazz Festival was a great evening. We played to a sold out crowd at the Elgar Room in the Royal Albert Hall, playing music from ‘First Light’ alongside new material that we’ve been working on this year. We also had the special pleasure of inviting the amazing pianist, John Turville, to join us for a few tunes. He brought something very different to the music, and it was a delight to have him with us.

Photos: Captured by Liz
© Liza Heinrichs

Alvorada, Brazil, choro, Gabriela Kozyra, Showstopper

Last gigs of the decade

Andrew Woolf

Just a few more gigs left this year before we enter the ’20s!

This Saturday, November 16th, Alvorada play at the Elgar Room in the Royal Albert Hall, as part of the London Jazz Festival. A couple of days after, on November 18th, I’ll be playing in Showstopper: The Improvised Musical at the Lyric Theatre.

At the end of the month I have two gigs with Gabriela Kozyra, playing repertoire from her sumptuous album ‘Noites Brasileiras’. First on November 27th alongside Walter Lopes at Sands Films Studio, and then we travel to Poland to play at Raciborskie Cultural Centre on November 30th, also with Sam Watts and Andres Ticino.

Last up, on December 14th, I’ll be with London Vocal Project at Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho. We’ll be performing a mixture of our unique arrangements of Christmas songs, alongside tunes from a new project – the James Taylor Songbook.

See the gigs page for links to more info.

Alvorada, Brazil, choro

Alvorada awards, broadcasts and shows

Andrew Woolf

Alvorada were delighted to be announced as winners of both the Latin UK Awards (Brazilian Act of the Year) and the Focus Brasil Awards (Best Musical Group). We had a fun time recently attending the LUKAS award ceremony to collect our prize.

We’re unable to attend the FOCUS Brasil ceremony this year, because we’re already playing that night! Our upcoming gig in the London Jazz Festival has just sold out. We’ve also played some great gigs to new audiences recently in Cambridge, Ipswich and Brighton, and are looking forward to travelling more around the UK.

If you haven’t had a chance to catch any of our live gigs, you can listen back to some recent radio broadcasts – we appeared on In Tune on BBC Radio 3 with Katie Derham and on A World In London with DJ Ritu on SOAS Radio.

Brazil, Gabriela Kozyra

Gabriela Kozyra album presentation

Andrew Woolf

A gig I’m really looking forward to this week – I’ll have the pleasure of playing with Gabriela Kozyra as she presents music from her album, Noites Brasileiras, for the first time in London. Gabi is a fantastic singer and interpreter of Brazilian songs. She made this recording last year in Rio de Janeiro, with a concept of recording only inéditas (unpublished songs), old and new. The album features enchanting compositions, exquisite arrangements and great playing by some of the finest musicians in Rio – many of whom I know personally, including Rui Alvim, João Camerero, Anna Paes, Pedro Paes, Bidu Campeche, and others.

For the show this Wednesday 28th August at 606 Club, Gabi will perform the music from the album alongside other beautiful and lesser known songs, in a formation with myself, Joseph Costi piano and Andres Ticino on percussion. (I’m also really happy I get to play with these two brilliant musicians as well!)

Tickets and info here:
https://www.606club.co.uk/events/view/gabriela-kozyra/

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Showstopper

Showstopper at Edinburgh Fringe

Andrew Woolf

I’m just heading off to Edinburgh for a run of shows with Showstopper! The Improvised Musical. Always an absolute delight to get to play with this group of incredibly skilled, ingenious and joyful group of people. This is their twelfth consecutive year at the Fringe, and my third. I’m playing daily from July 31st to August 9th (the show itself continues up until August 26th).

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/showstopper-the-improvised-musical

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Haringey Young Musicians

South Africa with Haringey Young Musicians

Andrew Woolf

I’ve just returned from an inspiring and unforgettable ten days in South Africa with Haringey Music Service, whose senior jazz ensemble I am privileged to direct (having been a member myself in my teens). We took 55 young music students to visit Durban and nearby areas, playing several concerts and experiencing a huge range of the variety of South African culture and society. Highlights included workshops in township schools, and our final night at the very moving and uplifting memorial concert of the wonderful Brian Thusi, at which we were invited to perform. I had met Brian – a special figure in South African jazz and music education – almost twenty years ago as a student when he came to London, and he had a huge impact on me at the time. Sadly Brian passed away last year, before we had the chance to meet him again on this return trip. The trip overall though was a wonderful experience which I will be reflecting on for a long time.

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