Brazilian jazz was performed on Friday evening, July 13th, by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carolyn Kuan at their third annual weekend of outdoor concerts at the Edsel and Eleanore Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores serendagin audiences as the sun set over Lake Sain Clair.
The program included Julien Labro, a graduate of Wayne State University and co-leader of the Django Reinhardt-inspired Hot Club of Detroit. Also performing were Brazilian-born singer-guitarist Paulinho Garcia and Polish jazz vocalist Grazyna Auguscik in a program of songs by the celebrated Antonio Carlos Jobim. Julien and Garcia are longtime collaborators on the music of Brazil.
Julien said, “”On the page, it can look very easy, but it’s actually difficult to play, to get the style right. The simple things are sometimes the hardest to accomplish.” The Bossa Nova themed evening of Brazilan music featured many favorites including “The Girl From Ipanema” and Piazzolla’s “Adios Nonino”.
Julien Labro, known in both the classical and jazz worlds. has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, performing in France, Italy, Slovenia, Andorra, Portugal, Germany, Croatia, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland. Stateside, he has been a guest artist with numerous symphonies and chamber ensembles including the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, A Far Cry chamber orchestra, the Grosse Pointe Symphony, the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony and the Michigan Pops Orchestra.
Labro also performed at the International Finnish Accordion Festival, and the International Las Vegas Accordion Convention, where he was featured with accordion legends Dick Contino and Art Van Damme. With a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies and in Music Composition, Labro has performed at numerous jazz venues and festivals. His performance with the “Hot Club of Detroit” garnered numerous critical acclaims and prizes like “Best Jazz Traditional Group” at the Detroit Music Awards 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011.
Julien Labro is featured on Grammy-award winning vocalist Cassandra Wilson’s “Another Country”.Labro is an arranger for several professional ensembles including the Ensemble Vivant of Toronto, the conductorless Boston-based chamber orchestra A Far Cry and Curtis On Tour from the Curtis Institute of Music faculty of Philadelphia.
The internationally acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the fourth-oldest symphony orchestra in the United States, is known for trailblazing performances, visionary maestros, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and an unwavering commitment to Detroit. Esteemed conductor Leonard Slatkin, called “America’s Music Director” by the Los Angeles Times, became the 12th Music Director of the DSO during the 2008-09 season. The DSO offers a performance schedule that includes Classical, Pops, Jazz, Young People’s, Neighborhood concerts and festivals. The DSO makes its home in historic Orchestra Hall, one of America’s most acoustically perfect concert halls, and actively pursues a mission to impact and serve the community through music.
For more information: julien@julienlabro.com
