One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about this year’s Summer of Jazz has been taking a musical journey together.
We’ve traveled to Paris. We’ve celebrated the rhythms of Latin America. We were inspired by the beauty of Italy.
Then our journey arrives in Brazil. And I can’t imagine a more joyful way to conclude both Summer of Jazz and the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival.
Brazilian jazz has always held a special place in the jazz world. It blends the irresistible rhythms of samba and bossa nova with the spontaneity and freedom of jazz in a way that feels both sophisticated and inviting. It invites you to listen, to smile, and before long, to move with it.
That’s exactly the experience Três Mais brings to the stage.
Rather than simply performing Brazilian music, Três Mais brings together an extraordinary ensemble of musicians whose collective experience spans Brazil’s rich musical traditions and America’s vibrant jazz landscape.
Brazilian guitarist César Haas and Grammy-nominated Brazilian drummer Rafael Barata are joined by bassist Wayne Moose, keyboardist Harry Graser, and saxophonist Doug Stone. Individually, each has built an impressive career. Together, they create a musical conversation that is sophisticated, joyful, and deeply rooted in the traditions of both Brazilian music and jazz.
Joining Três Mais is one of today’s truly remarkable jazz vocalists—Karrin Allyson.
Over the past three decades, Karrin has become one of the most admired voices in jazz, earning five GRAMMY® nominations while building an international reputation for her extraordinary artistry.
What I do know is this: audiences fall in love with her music.
She moves effortlessly from the Great American Songbook to French jazz, contemporary jazz, original compositions, and the rich traditions of Brazil. Wherever the music leads, she follows with remarkable emotional depth.
That spirit of exploration is beautifully reflected in her recent recording, A Kiss for Brazil.
More than simply a collection of Brazilian songs, the album represents Karrin’s deep appreciation for one of the world’s richest musical traditions. Recorded with acclaimed Brazilian pianist and composer Sérgio Santos, it captures the warmth, lyricism, and rhythmic beauty that have long connected Brazilian music and jazz. To me, that’s one of the biggest reasons to experience this performance.
You won’t simply hear Karrin sing Brazilian music. You’ll hear an artist performing music that has become an important part of her own creative voice. That’s one of the reasons this collaboration feels so natural. It’s a meeting of artists who share a common musical language.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that some of the most memorable performances happen when exceptional musicians inspire one another. I have every reason to believe that’s exactly what will happen when Três Mais and Karrin Allyson take the stage together.
As Summer of Jazz has reminded us, music has a remarkable way of bringing people together across cultures, languages, and traditions.
Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in Brazilian jazz. It invites us to smile. To move. To listen. And simply enjoy being together.
On Sunday, September 6, Três Mais and Karrin Allyson bring that spirit to the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival, closing both the festival and our Summer of Jazz journey with an early evening filled with warmth, rhythm, beauty, and celebration.
If you’ve joined us throughout the summer, I can’t think of a more fitting finale.
If this is your first Summer of Jazz experience, I can’t think of a better introduction to the joy that jazz—and music from around the world—can bring to a community.
That’s exactly the kind of experience I hope we’ll share at the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival.
