Leny Andrade and Roni Ben-Hur: Birdland May 10-14

[GA Russell]

BRAZILIAN VOCAL JAZZ LEGEND LENY ANDRADE AND GUITARIST RONI BEN-HUR REUNITE FOR A WEEK-LONG  NYC PERFORMANCE AT BIRDLAND  MAY 10 - 14       DUO RELEASED A CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED CD,  ALEGRIA DE VIVER, ON MOTEMA IN 2015    "Leny is one of the greatest improvisers in the world. I love the way she sings. She is an original!"  Tony Bennett
LENY ANDRADE AND  RONI BEN-HUR at BIRDLAND   MAY 10 - 14 CRITICAL RAVES FOR ALEGRIA DE VIVER   "End-to-end it is a flawlessly beautiful alliance..."  Jazz Times   "Both artists allow the music to evolve with a wonderful feeling of spaciousness in which the intense musical textures of these pieces are beautifully revealed."  Latin Jazz Network   "One of the most solid and consistent releases of the year."   Bop-N-Jazz   "...a delightfully sultry recording that will transport you..."  The Celebrity Cafe   "Clearly a winner throughout." Midwest Record		Latin Grammy winner Leny Andrade, acknowledged as Brazil's one true jazz singer, will once again join with the celebrated NY-based guitarist Roni Ben-Hur, this time for a week of performances at Birdland, from May 10 through 14.  Last year, the two combined their considerable musical forces on a stunning duo CD, Alegria de Viver (Motema Music,) on which they delivered an intimate set of Brazilian classics including songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Pixinguinha, Dori Caymmi, and Johnny Alf.  In its review of the album, Jazz Times raved, "End-to-end it is a flawlessly beautiful alliance..."   In a departure from the duo format of Alegria de Viver, at Birdland Andrade and Ben-Hur will perform with Itaiguara Brandao on bass and Andrade's long-time drummer Helio Schiavo. The show is a production of "BossaBrasil at Birdland,"  produced by impresario Pat Philips.    Andrade's voice is a deep, husky instrument of such dramatic depth that, as Stephen Holden wrote in the New York Times, it "seems to well up from the center of the earth." She blends jazz with samba, bossa nova, and bolero; her improvisational brilliance and vocal fireworks have led many writers to compare her to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Both singers were among her fans, as were Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, and Antonio Carlos Jobim.   Roni Ben-Hur was born in Israel to a family that had migrated from Tunisia.  Due to his eclectic background, he successfully combines classical Spanish repertoire with Brazilian music and jazz. On his five previous Motema albums, he recorded with such musical luminaries as Gene Bertoncini, Santi Debriano, and Nilson Matta. Mojave, Ben-Hur's 2011 release with bassist Matta, drummer Victor Lewis and percussionist Café, was praised by Bob-N-Jazz as "one of the most solid and consistent releases of the year."  His two previous albums, Keepin' It Open and Fortuna, were also critically well-received, earning Ben-Hur praise from the Newark Star Ledger, whose Zan Stewart wrote, "A storyteller, Ben-Hur works with a warm, glowing sound and has an alluring way of combining engaging notes with supple rhythm," and Time Out NY, who called him a "formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist."