VOICE

There is a Brazilian expression that says: 'A Baiana is not born, a Baiana debuts,' and a better one: 'What is it this Baiana has got?’ Dany Maia, a true Baiana hailing from the vibrant state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, embodies these words in every aspect of her musical journey. From her early debut in the music industry to her captivating performances on Australian stages, Dany brings the essence of her homeland and the soul of Brazilian rhythms to audiences far and wide.

Beginning her career at the age of 15, Dany Maia quickly found herself sharing the stage with renowned artists such as Margareth Menezes, Timbalada, and Carla Cristina. She also carved a niche on the street dance scene in Salvador as one of the principal choreographers for the esteemed group "Bailando in Bando.” Dany's passion for dance was further nurtured through training with the finest instructors in Bahia, including King, FUNCEB, Gilmar Sampaio, EBATECA, and Ballet Adalgisa Rollin, leading her to travel as a professional dancer across Brazil, Portugal and Spain.

Dany’s journey eventually brought her to Melbourne’s dynamic music scene where she found kindred spirits in the local artistic community and established lifelong collaborations. She now captivates audiences at the Evelyn Hotel, Paris Cat Jazz Club, Open Studio, Victoria Market, Czech House, Eurotrash, Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne Recital Centre, Jazz Lab and prestigious festivals such as St Kilda Festival, Taste of Portugal and Johnston St Festival.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR / DRUMS & PERCUSSION

Alastair Kerr is a drummer, percussionist and composer, and one of Australia’s leading exponents of Brazilian music. He has performed and recorded with a long list of world-class musicians and ensembles, including Brazilian artists Hermeto Pascoaol, Paulo Aragão, Quarteto Assanhado, Anna Setton, Marvio Ciribelli, and Dany Maia; and Australian artists Vince Jones, Ken Murray, Ensemble 3, Bernie McGann, and Marc Hannaford. Alastair has worked extensively with Australian guitar virtuoso Doug de Vries, performing and recording with de Vries in both his trio and Sexteto Zona Sul. With de Vries’ trio they opened for Hermeto Pascoal’s only ever Melbourne performance.

Alastair was a long-time member of Leigh Barkers New Sheiks, winning an Australian Jazz Bell Award with that group. Before forming Panorama Brasil, Alastair toured extensively with his jazz group, The Alastair Kerr Quartet, recording a critically acclaimed album with that group, and opening for Cuban jazz legend Chucho Valdes at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Alastair’s compositions appear on a number of jazz recordings, and his major works have featured at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Stonnington Jazz Festival. With de Vries he was musical director for the sold-out season of Jobim at the 2015 Adelaide Cabaret Festival at Adelaide Festival Centre.
Alastair holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is sought-after as an educator in both Brazilian music and jazz.

www.alastairkerr.com.au

VOICE

Jacqueline is one of the country’s most accomplished jazz singers and adventurous vocal improvisers, and is now recognised for her work as a specialist in Brazilian repertoire, singing exclusively in Portuguese. Jacqueline is well known for her work with multi award-winning vocal outfit Coco’s Lunch, with whom she has co-composed and recorded 7 albums, toured to 13 countries and received a host of awards. She has performed as a special guest with a multitude of high calibre Australian and international artists and ensembles, including América Do Sul, the Jacqueline Gawler Band, Coco’s Lunch, Stoneflower, Christopher Hale’s Sylvan Coda, The Picture Box Orchestra (UK/Pakistan/Australia), Bossa Negra (Brazil/Singapore/Australia), Andrea Keller, Margie Lou Dyer & Alan Browne, the Dan Mougerman Quintet, Avatar, Red Fish Blue (Syd/Melb), Adam Rudegeair’s Vince Jones project, the John Montesante Quintet, Casey Bennetto & Carl Panuzzo. In 2009 Jacqueline sealed her passion for Brazilian music by traveling to Brazil to record an album with some of Rio’s most acclaimed musicians including Armando Marçal, Sergio Brandâo, Renato Fonseca & Joâo Castilho, as well as recording a duet with Brazilian pop star Jorge Vercilo. Jacqueline returned to Brazil In 2011 for a 6 month stint to study Portuguese, launch her debut solo album, film the music clip for Sahara Nights, and immerse herself in the local culture and music. She also collaborated with Brazilian singer/songwriter and The Voice Brasil finalist Paulo Loureiro to write lyrics for his new album.

www.jacquelinegawler.com

PIANO / ARRANGER

Matt Boden is one of Australia’s most accomplished pianists, and in high demand as a composer, arranger and educator. Boden has lived and worked around the globe, spending 7 years in Paris where he worked extensively as a performing and recording artist.  He appears on dozens of recordings and has performed with artists including Brian Jackson (USA), Vince Jones, Meow Meow, Jhereck Bischoff (USA), Doug de Vries, Shelley Scown and John Scurry.  Boden holds the piano chair in renowned Australian acts Panorama Brasil, John Scurry’s Reverse Swing, the Leigh Barker Band, and the Damien Kingston Quartet. He performs throughout Australia and internationally on a regular basis, with festival appearances including Melb International Jazz Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, MONA FOMA, Dark MOFO, The Paris Jazz Festival, The Jazz Pas Grave Festival (Paris), and The Ascona Jazz Festival (Switzerland).  Matt has performed in leading venues worldwide such as Sunset/Sunside (Paris), A-Trane (Berlin), Caveau de la Huchette (Paris), CJW (Shanghai), The Paris Cat, Jazz Lab, and Foundry 616 (Sydney). His ingenuity and relentless creativity has manifested in his success as a screen composer, orchestrator and session recording artist, and he is also a Lecturer in Contemporary Music and Co-ordinator of Film Scoring and Music for Media at the Conservatorium of Music Arts and Media at the University of Tasmania, where he also supervises PhD students.

www.mattboden.com

FLUTE

Yael Zamir is a rising star in the latin jazz music scene, having begun her musical career as a classical flutist in high school. A school trip to the iconic Generations in Jazz in 2017 ignited a passion for jazz and improvisation and shortly after she commenced a Bachelor of Music at Monash University, specialising in jazz flute. At Monash, she had the opportunity to work with Al Kerr in his Brazilian ensemble, and began developing a passion for Brazilian music. Soon after, she was invited to perform with Alastair’s ensemble Panorama Brasil. She also began exploring Melbourne’s Brazilian choro scene, which sparked a curiosity for the folk music of Brazil. This led to her forming the duo Gone Troppo with guitarist Maximilian Rudd, in which she quickly refined her repertoire of choro music. Yael has also been in high demand in Melbourne’s jazz scene, performing alongside esteemed Australian musicians such as Tony Gould, James Sherlock, Paul Grabowsky, Simon Starr and Mark Fitzgibbon. Yael has been exploring Melbourne's diverse music scene through a variety of projects, many with an emphasis on Brazilian music. She is a regular member of Panorama Brasil, whose influence is often detectable in her own projects and compositions. In the future, Yael hopes to spend some time exploring the music scenes in Brazil and New York, in order to further immerse herself in jazz and Brazilian music.

BASS

Jorge Albuquerque's musical journey is a fascinating blend of Brazilian roots, jazz influences, and a diverse range of experiences that have shaped his unique artistic expression. Starting in the late 80s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, his collaboration with local jazz bands like Orquestra Oficina and Orquestra de Sax laid the foundation for his versatile skills as a bass player, guitarist, composer, and arranger. Studying under the guidance of Adriano Giffoni and Nelson Farias in Brazil, Jorge immersed himself in the rich tapestry of Brazilian music and Jazz. His influences, ranging from Egberto Gismonte and Hermeto Pascoal to Bill Evans and Weather Report, showcase the depth of his musical palette. Jorge relocated to Miami in 1992, where he collaborated with renowned artists like Nestor Torres, Nando Lauria, and Leo Gandeman. Additional studies in jazz at Florida International University under notable teachers like Gary Campbell, Nicky Orta, and Dennis Marks expanded his musical horizons. Currently based in Melbourne, Australia, Jorge remains an active performer with his own band and collaborates with groups such as Panorama do Brasil, Lamparina, Suingue Brazuca, and Dany Maya. His diverse experiences and influences continue to contribute to the captivating and unique nature of his artistic expression. Jorge Albuquerque stands as a testament to the enriching power of cross-cultural musical exploration and dedication to the craft.