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Todd Wright’s ‘Brazilian Romance: An Evening of Valentine’s Jazz’ Comes to Rosen Concert Hall Feb. 14

by Rachel Emily Auton

Feb. 10, 2014. One of the High Country’s favorite Valentine’s Day entertainment staples, Todd Wright’s “Evening of Valentine’s Jazz” Concert, returns to the Rosen Concert Hall in the Broyhill Music Center at Appalachian State University on Friday, Feb, 14 at 8 p.m. 

toddwrightIn this year’s concert, Todd Wright, acclaimed saxophonist and director of jazz studies at Appalachian State University, is joined by Brazilian guitarist Welson Tremura to create “Brazilian Romance: An Evening of Valentine’s Jazz.”

“This is a Valentines concert I’ve been doing for 20 years now, mainly made up of myself and some other jazz faculty and on occasion other friends,” said Wright.

“This time we invite back Welson Tremura, who was here three or four years ago.”

Tremura is a renowned guitarist and vocalist trained in Brazilian jazz, classical and vocal forms as well as traditional European classical forms. Tremura, an associate professor of music and Latin American studies at the University of Florida, is also the co-director of Brazilian music ensemble, Jacaré Brazil.

Alongside Wright and Tremura will be pianist Keith McCutchen, guitarist Andy Page, bassist Zack Page and Rick Dilling on drums.

“We will feature all Brazilian music for the show,” said Wright. “We’ll have some love tunes in there with a lot of very, very nice Brazilian tunes.”

The concert will feature works by composers Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ivan Lins and others along with original pieces by both Wright and Tremura.

“It’s a good thing for folks to come out to and hear some wonderful Brazilian music,” said Wright.

“I always like to say, all the best things in life are free.”

The hour and a half long program is free and open to the public as a part of the Hayes School of Music’s Faculty Performance Series.