Jazz trombonist Ryan Keberle is bringing the infectious rhythms of Brazil to Honesdale tomorrow with a live performance at the Cooperage Project. His new album, Choro das Águas, created in collaboration with Collectiv do Brasil, blends traditional Brazilian choro rhythms with modern jazz in a fresh, compelling way.
“We hope people get up and dance—or at least feel like getting up and dancing,” Keberle says. “The grooves are infectious, especially played by this band straight from Brazil.”
Keberle, a New York-based trombonist who now calls the Catskills home, says the album is inspired not only by Brazil’s rich folk traditions but also by one of the country’s great living songwriters, Ivan Lins. “All of our arrangements try to bring an American jazz sensibility to these compositions while staying true to their Brazilian roots,” he explains.
For Keberle, mastering Brazilian music has been a labor of love. “Working as a freelance musician, you have to become fluent in many musical languages. Brazilian music just connected with me deeply—especially the folk traditions where trombone plays a central role,” he says. Over the past decade, he’s studied these styles closely, reimagining classic songs with his own compositions and arrangements.
Keberle likens the live concert experience to attending a public lecture delivered by experts: “Music is a form of communication. When we’re on stage, we’re telling stories, sharing these rich traditions, and hoping the audience feels it in their bodies.”
Keberle and Collectiv do Brasil perform tomorrow at the Cooperage Project in Honesdale. For ticket information, visit thecooperageproject.org.
Image: Collectiv do Brasil. (Credit: RyanKeberle.com)