The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and Larry Rosen, together with presenting sponsor TotalBank, present JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series – A NIGHT IN RIO on April 13, 2012 at 8 p.m. in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center. The grand finale performance of the 2011-2012 JAZZ ROOTS season showcases the legendary Brazilian maestro  SERGIO MENDES, who will bring his sizzling samba sound to the Knight Concert Hall with his signature mix of bossa nova and percussion accents, along with the distinctive pop instrumentation that have defined Brazilian music around the world. Sensual rhythms and Grammy-winning favorites will heat up the hall with a special appearance by ELIANE ELIAS,the sensational jazz pianist and singer who fuses the rhythmic complexities of Brazilian music with traditional New York piano jazz.

Tickets range from $25 to $150 and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.

“The phenomenal artistry of two Brazilian music superstars – Sergio Mendes and Eliane Elias — will crown our stellar 2011-2012 Jazz Roots season during Jazz Appreciation Month in April,” said M. John Richard, president and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. “It is sure to be a glorious musical experience of pure rhythmic delight, with the audience singing and dancing in the aisles to timeless bossa nova hits while eagerly awaiting Mendes’ most popular song, Mas Que Nada,” Richard added.

Over the course of his groundbreaking career, Sergio Mendes has amassed an astounding track record of 35+ albums recorded and millions sold, and embarked on many musical adventures highlighted by his early ‘60s Bossa Rio Sextet; his worldwide breakthrough group Brasil ’66 (and its many iterations); his 1993 Grammy-winning milestone Brasileiro, which made him the undisputed master of pop-inflected Brazilian jazz; and his CD, Timeless, featuring a remake of the hit “Mas Que Nada” charted at No. 44 on Billboard’s Hot 100. His 2010 recording, Bom Tempo, features indelible melodies and explosive percussion, celebrating the diversity, joy and sensuality of Brazilian music. A Latin Grammy Award-winner, Mendes is considered the undisputed master of pop-inflected Brazilian jazz, and is credited as being the first to take Brazilian music to the masses. Throughout a career that has spanned nearly a half century, Sergio Mendes’s music has been characterized by his unique, innovative sound, and the Brazilian star continues to enjoy immense popularity performing to sold-out audiences at the most prestigious venues across the Americas and abroad. He recently received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio” from the 2011 animated film Rio.

Multi Grammy Award nominee, pianist/singer/composer/arranger ELIANE ELIAS is known for her distinctive and immediately recognizable musical style which blends her Brazilian roots and sensuous, alluring voice with her impressive instrumental jazz, classical and compositional skills. She was the first female instrumentalist to be featured on the cover of DownBeat magazine and to date has recorded over twenty albums. ELIAS’s outstanding piano playing, arranging, and beautiful vocal interpretations have solidified her place in the pantheon of music giants. Demonstrating her unique gifts as a pianist, singer, composer and arranger as well as melding her immense talents in jazz, pop, classical and Brazilian music, ELIANE ELIAS is, as Jazziz magazine recently called her, “a citizen of the world” and “an artist beyond category.”

JAZZ ROOTS also features an in-depth educational partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools which has brought more than 2,000 music students to the Center for a unique behind-the-scenes experience, including a pre-concert sound check and a Q&A session with featured artists followed by a workshop with a local jazz expert that will highlight the music, the artistic process and the practical skills needed for a career in the arts.

The JAZZ ROOTS education program is partially funded with grant support from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Foundation, a publicly supported charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs.

Heralded by Quincy Jones as “the most important new concert and educational jazz series in America!” JAZZ ROOTS has the unique distinction of being the only major jazz series in America that has sold-out nearly every concert since its inception.

JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series is presented by TotalBank, a subsidiary of Banco Popular Espanol, S.A. WPBT Channel 2, WLRN 91.3 FM, and Capsule Media are media sponsors of JAZZ ROOTS.

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