Two world-class musicians will be performing and celebrating Brazilian Jazz at Brandon Music on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Ali Ryerson, regarded as one of the best flutists in jazz, and guitarist Joe Carter have joined forces to perform music of Brazil. By using their jazz backgrounds to add improvisation into the tunes, the Ryerson and Carter duo create a sound that blends the best of both worlds.

ALI RYERSON
Born in 1952 in New York City, Ali Ryerson grew up in a musical family. Her father, Art Ryerson, was a renowned jazz guitarist who got his start with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and later became a top studio player in New York City, recording with everyone from Louis Armstrong, Erroll Garner, Charlie Parker and Sarah Vaughan, to Frank Sinatra. Ali has carried on the family tradition, becoming an international touring/recording artist, with performances ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, to the Blue Note (in New York City and Tokyo), plus festival appearances worldwide.
Over her career, spanning nearly five decades, she has released over two dozen albums on major jazz labels, including Concord Records, DMP, Capri, and legendary jazz producer Bob Thiele’s final jazz label, Red Baron. When Ryerson’s groundbreaking Jazz Flute Big Band released their debut CD, “Game Changer,” on Capri Records, the album hit the “Top 10” on the U.S. Jazz Charts for six straight weeks.
Ryerson has recorded and/or performed with jazz greats such as Red Rodney, Roy Haynes, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess, Hubert Laws, Stephane Grappelli, Harold Danko, Art Farmer, Mike Mainieri, Joe Beck and Gene Bertoncini, and recently made a guest appearance with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She has also performed with classical artists Julius Baker and Luciano Pavarotti (when she was principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Orchestra). Ryerson was musical director of the Hudson River Regional Jazz Festival (2001-4), Jazz Chair for the National Flute Association and founder of the NFA Jazz Flute Big Band. As an educator and author, Ryerson published the widely acclaimed Jazz Flute Practice Method, and conducts master classes worldwide. Ryerson is a Gemeinhardt Artist with an Autograph Series of flutes by Gemeinhardt Musical Instruments.
Ryerson’s most recent invitations as guest artist include the Galway Flute Festival in Switzerland, the International Flute Festival of Lima, Peru, the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival, the New York Flute Club, the International Low Flute Festival, the University of Michigan, Florida and MidAtlantic Flute conventions, the Rochester Flute Fair, the Chicago Flute Fair, and invitations to tour Japan again in 2019 and 2020.

JOE CARTER
Joe Carter started guitar studies at an early age, eventually focusing on jazz. While earning B.A. and M.A. degrees in Jazz Performance and starting his Jazz Ph.D. studies at New York University he studied privately with guitarists Sal Salvador, John Scofield, Allan Hanlon, saxophonist Lee Konitz and pianist Don Friedman. After several performance and teaching trips to Brazil his current specialty is Brazilian Jazz, combining Straightahead and Bebop styles of jazz with samba, bossa nova and Northeast styles of Brazilian music.
His latest two CDs showcase his familiarity with Brazilian music. “Um Abraco No Rio” (An Embrace of Rio) was recorded in Rio de Janeiro with Brazilian musicians. world-renowned harmonica virtuoso Mauricio Einhom, bassist Luis Alves and drummer Joao Cortez have previously performed with Carter in different group settings on his various performance trips to Brazil. “The Samba Rio Trio” CD is Carter’s U.S. version of his group using the talents of two of the better known Brazilian artists residing in New York: bassist Nilson Matta and legendary drummer Portinho.
Check out this internationally acclaimed jazz duo when they make their Brandon debut on Aug. 17.
Tickets for the show are $20. Or come for dinner and the show for $45. Reservations are required for dinner and recommended for the show. Venue is BYOB. Call (802) 247-4295, email [email protected] or visit brandon-music.net.