Album Notes

Téka is an artist with roots firmly planted in Brazilian music.

Her music has become an interesting combination of the sensual rhythms of Brazil and Jazz.

Born into a very musical family, singing was part of growing up in Brazil. Very naturally, Teka fell under the spell of the choro, samba and bossa nova, and from an early age, she began soaking up the sounds of American Jazz.

Her studies include a degree in Music Education and Arts from São Paulo State University, Jazz Studies at Berklee College of Music and Longy School of Music, as well as Improvisation and Flute. Téka has not only developed exquisite control over her warm vocals but she is also a refined guitarist accompanying herself with energy and charm.

Contralto, born in Londrina-Brazil, her credits span a wide variety of events, including some renown Jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals; as well as her home town The Santa Barbara International Jazz Festival for three consecutive years, sharing the 1999 night with the great Tito Puente and Lalo Shiffrin.

A 1993 nominee for the Boston Music Award for outstanding Latin Act, she has also performed and recorded with many artists. Among them, her husband composer Páris Psaros on a CD entitled Garden Planet.

In a departure from Brazilian Jazz, she appeared as soloist with the Santa Barbara Oratorio Chorale in their 1995 California premiere and 1997 performances of Canto General by Mikis Theodorakis and Pablo Neruda.

Téka describes her music as New Bossa. Sophisticated as Bossa Nova and yet incorporating a more contemporary taste to it in her own unique way. A mix of undulating Bossa Nova and American Jazz.

Téka's route to the south cost came through Boston over a decade ago. Apart from been attracted to the city for it's famous music schools, she followed husband to be Páris Psaros who was studying Music Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music. She later enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and started performing professionally. It wasn't lack of success that brought Téka west; it was the weather. "We couldn't handle another winter" and Páris had been accepted for a Doctorate Program at UCSB.

Téka, Páris and their 5 year old daughter, made Santa Barbara their home where Téka performs most of the time and leads her own band. Her repertoire traverses Brazilian pop, American jazz and original songs.

On a given night, you might catch Téka and her group at Soho or at the Paseo Nuevo Shopping Center, or perhaps at the Lobero theather , or in a jazz club in Los Angeles. She and her husband have produced a CD entitled Garden Planet. Her new release, Watercolours of Brazil is yet another sample of the many tones Teka can present; from Cravo e Canela to Berimbau her control is always supreme.

Brazil, home of an infectious rhythm, the Samba, an enchanted city; Rio; and remarkable musicians you won't soon forget: Téka.