Imagine Count Basie went down to Rio de Janeiro and combined his big band with a samba school. This is Gafieira Rio Miami, a one-of-a-kind, 11-piece Brazilian big band created by bassist and Latin GRAMMY winner Diogo Brown. One of the most in-demand bass players in the industry, Brown has worked with renowned artists such as Laura Pausini, Buika, Nouvelle Vague and Gloria Estefan. 

To put together this samba-jazz big band, he called on the very best professional musicians in South Florida who share a passion for great Brazilian music. With a powerful 5-piece horn section, plus bass, guitar, drums, percussion, and the lovely vocals of Isa Duarte, Gafieira Rio Miami fuses samba, jazz and soul inspired by 20th century Rio de Janeiro joyous ballroom dance music known as “samba de gafieira.”. The repertoire includes gorgeous arrangements of classics by Gilberto Gil, Djavan, Alcione, Moacir Santos, João Nogueira and more. Get ready to experience the joyous energy of Gafieira Rio Miami!

The Que Beleza Brasil! program is made possible by the Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center at FIU in partnership with Gene De Souza, producer at Brazilian Nites and host of Café Brasil on 88.9FM WDNA.

Funding comes from LACC's US Department of Education Title VI grant and the generous support of Brazilian Nites.

Part of LACC's FLAC Lecture Series and LACC's Program of Excellence in Brazilian Studies (PROBRAS).

This event is in Portuguese and is by invitation only for Portuguese language students in South Florida.