Through outstanding collaborations like the Brazilian Acoustic Ensemble, guitarist and composer Billy Newman has emerged as a leading exponent of the music of Brazil. Exploring far beyond the well-trodden bossa nova path, Newman unearths the full range of styles the country offers, including Choro, Baiao, Valsa and Samba, and gives American audiences a rich panoramic glimpse into Brazilian art, highlighting its parallels with progressive jazz. A recipient of composers residencies at Yaddo and MacDowell Colony, he has been the curator of a three- day series at Cornelia Street dedicated to the Countries music…….. Newman will showcase his own group – a sextet in a concert primarily featuring his original works. – S.H. Hothouse Magazine
“Out of the meeting of the two very different urban cultures of Rio de Janeiro and Brooklyn, NY, an exciting dialogue is born. North and South American rhythms and musical forms express the pulse of the cities. Samba, Bebop, Choro, all find their place in a rich and varied musical repertoire that combines structure and arrangement with free-flowing jazz improvisation. Influences range from the swinging, cerebral tunes of Lennie Tristano from Queens, to the kaleidoscopic inventions of Hermeto Pascoal from Bangu, Brazil. The Billy Newman Quintet brings together five talented young musicians with an abundance of new ideas based on solid musical grounding and a fascination with the cross-cultures we live in today. They are led by the gifted Brooklyn-born guitarist/composer who has lived, studied and performed in Brazil and whose passion for Brazilian music is the inspiration for this dynamic and innovative group.”