Giordano Productions Presents Brazilian Guitar Duo Zé Paulo Becker and Nando Duarte.

Join us for an intimate evening of traditional and original Brazilian music at the historic Chapel Performance Space at Good Shepherd Center (4th Floor) and witness the intimate conversation between two brilliant guitarists.

Zé and Nando have been friends through music for many years. In the 90’s they met at the prolific hub of the music scene in Rio, Bar Semente in the Lapa neighborhood. Even though they have never performed or recorded together, their parallel musical paths have crossed in production and support for great Brazilian artists, like Elza Soares and Ney Matogrosso.

Among the best in his generation as a band leader and soloist, Zé Paulo Becker has been an integral part of the choro jazz, samba and choro scene in Rio for thirty years. He is a six-string guitarist and composer, who has recorded 12 CDs under his name, as well as 4 CDs while on a 20-year journey with the popular choro group, Trio Madeira. The trio won Brazilian MPB Album of the Year, Prêmio da Música Brasileira in 2011, in their collaboration with Roberta Sá, who also won Vocalist of the Year for the recording.

His writing partners include the revered Brazilian lyricists, Paulo Cesar Pinheiro and Aldir Blanc. He has recorded and performed with many well-known Brazilian artists, including Ney Matogrosso, Elza Soares, Chico Buarque, Yamandú Costa, Wagner Tiso, Francis Hime, Zé Renato and Marcos Sacramento. Zé has performed in more than 20 countries. This will be his first visit to the west coast of the United States.

Zé is also professor of music at Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (MG). He has published three music books, including the coveted book on Brazilian guitar grooves, Levadas Brasileiras.

Website: https://www.zepaulobecker.com.br/

Producer, composer and arranger, Nando Duarte is also a brilliant seven-string guitarist. He has recorded and played live performances with many acclaimed Brazilian musicians, such as Gal Costa, Zélia Duncan and Yamandu Costa, Nicolas Krassik and with international stars like Melody Gardot, Anat Cohen and the band Empire of the Sun. Choro music is a passion, with performances and recordings in Brazil and the United States, including with the band Abraçando o Jacaré. For more than 20 years he has been producing and arranging for musical theatre, concerts and recordings. A highlight was his role as Musical Director for Elza Soares (named Singer of the Millennium by BBC Radio).

Nando moved to Los Angeles in 2016 to become the co-founder and a producer at Ginga Music. This is an LA-based production company for film, advertising, and sound design. with recent works for HBO, the feature film "Fourth Grade" (2021), in addition to several commercial advertising projects. Nando is passionate about music production, but there is also a deep passion for playing music.

Website: https://www.nandoduarte.net/