For me Brazilian music is the perfect mix of melody and rhythm. It just bubbles rhythmically. If I had to pick just one music style to play if would be Brazilian.
Brazilian music has many of the ingredients that I strive for in my own music: Strong melodies and a disciplined but intense rhythmic concept, and interesting harmonies.
The way we do music in Brazil is very different because we are so moved by music; we grow up with that.
Whether it's performing a concert with my quartet or sitting in with my peers, enjoying musical conversations at home with my brothers or hanging and playing choro with my friends - sharing moments in that bright space of music are the happiest times.
My interested in Brazilian music stemmed from wanting to find a musical identity other than the salsa and meringue that I was inundated with in Venezuela as a child.
I flow between modern and traditional jazz, between samba and choro - all maybe in a week's time.
Brazilian music has been a part of almost every record I've done, and I'd eventually like to record an entire album of Brazilian music.
This was during a period when I was producing Brazil '66 records and got infected by Brazilian music.
Cartola is an artist from Brazil who didn't record until much later in his life, but had a big influence on a lot of famous artists down there, like Gilberto Gil. I discovered his music recently when I was in Brazil.
