"I consider myself a composer that happens to play the guitar," says Brazilian jazz artist Chico Pinheiro, who returns to Kalamazoo on Feb 26 for the John Stites Jazz series held at the Crawlspace Theatre.
Pinheiro joins Cara Lieurance in studio alongside Western Michigan University jazz professors Keith Hall and Matthew Fries to discuss the concerts, scheduled for 7 and 9 p.m., with tickets for the later show still available at kzoojazz.com.
A São Paulo native now based in New York, Pinheiro describes his music as rooted in the rhythmic traditions of Brazil's many regions — far beyond the samba and bossa nova that international audiences typically associate with the country. The conversation spotlights his Grammy-nominated album City of Dreams, as they listen to the title track and "Estrada Real," a piece inspired by a historic gold-transport road connecting the state of Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro during Brazil's slavery era.
Pinheiro also discusses his compositional process, often writing at the piano rather than the guitar, and his deep love of lyrics and poetry. He says he encourages his own students to write music as a way of broadening their musical perspective beyond their instruments.
Hall, who traveled to Brazil last March, and Fries describe the joy of playing Pinheiro's intricate charts, which weave jazz harmony with Brazilian rhythmic traditions. Pinheiro also conducts a master class for WMU students during his visit.
The John Stites Series continues April 23 with vocalist Carmen Bradford and concludes May 14 with guitarist Randy Napoleon and his octet. Tickets for all shows are available at kzoojazz.com.
The interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
