Brazillian Bossa at the Library with Porto Seguro

About the Band:

Porto Seguro and vocalist, Alva Anderson, love sharing their enthusiasm for Brazilian music with audiences. Mellow with a soulful vibe, like a great cup of coffee, the band’s blend is Brazilian with upbeat American energy. The core members (Susan Conant, flutes; John Holenko, mandolins; Tom Noren, guitar; and John Kennedy, bass) started jamming together in 2014 on choro, a lighthearted mix of Afro and European influences from early 20th century Brazil. In 2019 they were thrilled to have Alva Anderson sit in on a few sets. She immediately became the band’s headliner adding her expert jazz vocals and soulful spirit to the group. Along with Alva, the group added drums bringing together a sound that leans heavily into Brazilian samba and bossa classics. The result was magic! Their lively shows now include well-known favorites (think Tom Jobim, One Note Samba, Girl from Ipanema) combined with lesser-known but equally wonderful gems of bossa nova (Brazil’s distinctive contribution to jazz) and samba (the raucous music of Carnival). The group has appeared for two full seasons at Charleston’s Forte Jazz Lounge, and numerous local festivals and concert series including Concerts at the Library (Charleston Library Society), Piccolo Spoleto, North Charleston Arts Festival, Music on Sunday (Greenville, SC), Music on Malphrus (Bluffton, SC) and the Gage Hall Coffeehouse.

Host or Publisher Charleston Library Society