Brazilian Jazz Gets Folks in the Groove

What a cool coincidence: A year to the day before the 2016 Summer Olympic Games open in Rio de Janeiro, Maria Tiscia and her Brazilian Rio Bound jazz combo found themselves performing before an enthusiastic crowd on the Branford Green.

The Fairfield County based group was performing for the first time in Branford in the seventh concert of the popular Branford Jazz Series. They played Brazilian Jazz featuring selections from Antonio Carlos Jobim and Sergio Mendez. The audience loved it.

Tiscia led off with, ​“The Girl from Ipanemo,” and included other popular renditions of ​“The Look of Love,” ​“One Note Samba,” and the Portuguese and English version of ​“I Will Survive.”

The crowd was estimated at 850 with a good number of people coming from out of town. 

The Rio Bound group featured Tiscia as vocalist with musicians Joe Stelluti on flute and saxophone, Geoff Morrow (pictured) on bass and guitar, Joey Bracchitta on drums and David Oliver on piano.

Local Guilford cardiologist Dr. Joe Cardinale sat-in with the group.

Tiscia said after the concert that ​“we enjoyed doing the show and hopefully they will invite us back.”

Branfordite Tacie Lowe had a special night enjoying some ice cream with her son Silas who was back in town visiting his mom. Silas now lives in Austin, Texas. ​“It doesn’t get any better,” Lowe said. ​“Beautiful weather, great ice cream and being with my son.”

Kids loved the evening. Here’s the little pizza thief.

So did the ​“Monument crowd.” Here are L‑R: Brittani Phillips and her terrier, AnnieEm and Jacky Skelly and her pup, Oscar, a Papillon. The young man was not identified.

Francis Durso had a good night selling his specialty.

All and all, a fine evening for jazz. At the end, Tiscia and Rio Bound take a well-earned bow.

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