Téka

Téka - bio Téka is an artist with roots firmly planted in the traditions of Brazilian music… the samba, bossa nova, and choro. Born into a musical family, singing was a natural part of growing up in Brazil. From an early age, Tëka fell under the spell of American Jazz and began soaking up the sounds of Sarah Vaughan, Billy Holiday and Frank Sinatra. Today her music has become a fusion of the sensual rhythms and harmonies of Brazil with the improvisation of jazz, which she has coined, New Bossa. A graduate of the Music Education and Arts Program of São Paulo State University, Téka also studied at Berklee College of Music and Longy School of Music. While in Boston, Tëka studied with Dominique Eade, a well known teacher and jazz vocalist, and soon began appearing at Boston’s premier jazz clubs, including Scullers and the RegattaBar. She was a 1993 nominee for the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Latin Act. Téka has performed and recorded with many artists, including world-renowned Hermeto Pascoal, Gilberto Gil, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Rique Pantoja, Otmaro Ruiz, Kevin Winard, Aaron Serfaty, Hussain Jiffry, Helio Alves, Fernando Brandao, Café, Cassio Duarte, Luis Conte, Mike Shaphiro , Gary Mick and Gilles Apap. In 1995, she moved to Santa Barbara and released her first CD, “Garden Planet”, comprised of original music with an environmental theme. Her second CD, “Watercolours of Brazil,” was released in 2001 and has received uniformly high praise from critics and audiences alike. Don Heckman of the Los Angeles Times said, “Like Joao Gilberto she brings everything into a unified expression, combining her vocal lines and rhythmic guitar accompaniments into a single, elegantly buoyant musical blend.” In a highly inspiring venture into classical music, Téka appeared as the contralto soloist with the Santa Barbara Oratorio Chorale in the 1996 California premiere and subsequent performances in 1997 and 2006 of “Canto General” by Mikis Theodorakis and Pablo Neruda. Since coming to Santa Barbara, Téka has established herself as a mature, world- class talent. The ease with which she controls her instrument, her flawless intonation and time and her ability to treat gentle ballads and spirited up-tempo tunes with the same musical grace are hallmarks of her gift. She was featured at the Santa Barbara International Jazz festival for three years running and has appeared at the city’s foremost venues, including the Lobero Theatre, The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Victoria hall, The Marjorie Luke Theater, Ellings Amphitheater and SOhO Music Club. In addition, she performs regularly at some of Los Angeles’ best know jazz clubs. Contact Info: Blue in Green Productions 7758 Jenna Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 (805) 968-8887 Tel (603) 368-3073 Fax www.newbossa.com
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