Miller Theatre Launches 2024-25 Jazz Series With Luciana Souza & Chico Pinheiro

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts kicks off its 2024-25 Jazz series with Luciana Souza with Chico Pinheiro on Saturday, October 5, 7:30PM.

Grammy Award-winning singer and composer Luciana Souza returns to the Miller stage with her intricate melodies and complex harmonies, delivered with a voice celebrated for its unparalleled beauty. Joined by fellow Brazilian-born guitarist and composer Chico Pinheiro—“one of the brightest lights on today's Brazilian jazz scene” (Boston Globe)—they promise to deliver an intimate evening of music rooted in jazz and Brazilian traditions.

About the Artists

Luciana Souza, vocals
lucianasouza.com

Grammy-winner Luciana Souza is one of jazz's leading singers and interpreters. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Souza's work transcends traditional boundaries around musical styles. She has performed and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Guillermo Klein, Bobby McFerrin, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and many others. Souza has been a prominent soloist on important new works by composers Osvaldo Golijov, Derek Bermel, Patrick Zimmerli, and Caroline Shaw, performing with the New York Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, and A Far Cry. she has twice been named “Female Jazz Singer of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association (2005, 2013). 

Souza has been releasing celebrated recordings since 2002, including her six Grammy-nominated records Brazilian Duos, North and South, Duos II, Tide, Duos III, and The Book of Chet. Her critically acclaimed ninth recording for the Sunnyside label, The Book of Longing, presents her settings of poems by Leonard Cohen, Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Christina Rossetti. Storytellers was Souza's 2020 release recording, a collaboration with arranger Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band Cologne honoring Brazilian storytellers in music. Souza's latest release is Cometa, with the Brazilian Jazz Ensemble, Trio Corrente. It features Brazil's top Jazz piano trio and Luciana Souza celebrating samba composers such as Dorival Caymmi and Paulinho da Viola, as well as original compositions by the trio and Souza.

Souza spent four years on faculty at Berklee College of Music, where she received a bachelor's degree in jazz composition. She earned a master's degree in jazz studies from the New England Conservatory of Music and taught for four years at Manhattan School of Music. She was a fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2020 to 2023. Souza is currently on the faculty at UCLA, CalArts, and USC, in Los Angeles.

Chico Pinheiro, guitar
chicopinheiro.com

Guitarist, composer, and arranger Chico Pinheiro was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, where he started playing the guitar at age six. At 14, he began working as a studio session guitarist and soon began collaborating with artists in Brazil and abroad. He has been nominated twice for the American Grammy Awards (2019, 2020) and listed three times as "Rising Star - Guitar" in DownBeat's Annual Critics Poll.

Pinheiro's debut album, Meia Noite Meio Dia (Sony Music, 2003), and second release, Chico Pinheiro (Biscoito Fino, 2005), received critical acclaim and were listed among the 'Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year' in the Brazilian newspapers O Estado de São Paulo, A Folha de São Paulo, and O Globo. His third album, NOVA (2007), was a collaboration with American guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson. His fourth album, There's a Storm Inside (CT Music Japan/Sunnyside Records, NY, 2010), was named among the “Best Albums of the Year” by DownBeat, Revista Rolling Stone, and numerous Brazilian newspapers and won “Best Brazilian Jazz Album” and “Best Latin Jazz Composition” that year from the Latin Jazz Corner Association (U.S.), which also named him “Best Latin Jazz Guitarist.” Other recordings include TRIZ (2012) with pianist André Mehmari and singer Sergio Santos; and Varanda (2017), which was included in “best of the year” lists by major newspapers and magazines in Brazil and abroad.

In addition to his projects as a leader, Pinheiro has collaborated with numerous artists, including Placido Domingo, Kathleen Battle, Brad Mehldau, Dave Grusin, Kenny Werner, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Danilo Pérez, Nnenna Freelon, Bob Mintzer, Herbie Hancock, Brian Blade (IJD), Ron Carter, Chris Potter, John Patitucci, Esperanza Spalding, Joyce, Ivan Lins, Rosa Passos, Dori Caymmi, Danilo Caymmi, João Donato, Chico César, Ed Motta, César Camargo Mariano, Elza Soares, Mark Turner, Tom Scott, Joe Lovano, Luciana Souza, Terri Lyne Carrington, Eddie Gomez, Gary Novak, among others. He has also worked with many ensembles, including the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Bob Mintzer Big Band, Paris Jazz Big Band, Swiss Jazz Orchestra, and the Danish Radio Big Band.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University is an acclaimed New York City music venue and concert producer. Founded in 1988, Miller's mission is to develop new audiences; foster enthusiasm for the arts by pioneering new programming approaches; educate the public by presenting specialized programs to a broad audience; discover diverse repertoire and commission new works; and share the University's intellectual riches with the public. A four-time recipient of the ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award for Adventurous Programming, Miller Theatre's commitment to presenting music not heard elsewhere makes it a vital part of the cultural landscape of New York City.