If you mention Brazilian music to Canadians, many might think of Carmen Miranda, the pop icon from the 60's that wore a fruit basket on her head and crooned "South American Way". If you mention Jazz, I'd guess a lot of people would think of Dizzy Gillespie or maybe Miles Davis. So where would that leave Brazilian Jazz? (Please, stop thinking about Miles with a fruit basket on his head!) The fact is, Brazilian music is one of the most musically rich and diverse genres on the planet, accurately reflecting the size and breadth of Brazil itself, a huge country comprising several distinct regions, each with one or more identifiable musical styles. Here in Canada, we have had only a small taste: Brazilians like Antonio Carlos Jobim brought us "The Girl From Ipanema" (made popular by Astrud Gilberto)  and "Desafinado" (a huge hit for saxophonist Stan Getz in 1962). The Bossa Nova exploded in North America shortly after "Desafinado" (which means "out of tune") hit the charts in the U.S. It was American jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd that is credited for having discovered the Bossa Nova on a State Department visit to Brazil, bringing the sound back to the U.S. and Stan Getz. They then recorded the historic album "Jazz Samba" which ignited the craze.

Canadian bassist Paul Donat, born the year that "Desafinado" became a hit, gets his inspiration from Charlie Byrd and others who have made the trek to Brazil to discover it's musical richness. He made a trip to Rio de Janeiro in 1988 that lasted for four years, during which time he performed (as guitarist) with many Brazilian Jazz musicians, and got to experience the wonder and magic of Brazilian music first hand. It wasn't easy; he had to teach English for a while to get established, but the wait paid off and he landed a house gig at a nightclub that featured a who's who roster of Brazilian greats. He would get to watch the best in Brazil perform at the club, and then play with some local greats in the after hours. Not a bad way to get to know the people and learn the language. The house gig lasted about two and a half years, unheard of for almost any club, anywhere. After that, there wasn't much more work in music that could compare, so, in 1992, Paul packed up his guitar and returned to Canada to study bass and to distill his Brazilian experience into composition.

Although it's been years since he set foot on Brazilian soil, the impact of Brazilian music and culture has stayed with him. He has performed in many groups featuring his Brazilian inspired work and standards of the repertoire. 2007 marked the debut of Paul's Brazilian Jazz Project "Rio Bossa", when he released a CD of the same name, in the company of some fine Toronto based Jazz musicians (Kevin Turcotte, trumpet; Mike Murley, sax; Gordon Sheard, piano; Alan Hetherington, drums/percussion).  Rio Bossa is a symbiosis of Jazz and Brazilian rhythms that is sure to please Jazz lovers anywhere.  Paul Donat gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.