Wed 7/31
Brazilian singer/songwriter guitarist Bia Ferreira arrived in Cleveland for her show at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s outdoor City Stages show without her band — they had visa issues, we were told. But she picked up an ensemble of topnotch Cleveland jazz musicians to give her a hand, including drummer Jamey Haddad, who performs and records with Paul Simon, and bassist Kip Reed.
Although her song s were in her native Portuguese, Ferreira displayed an easy rapport with the crowd, explaining the very personal meaning of her tunes, which dealt with personal and social conflicts fueled by being a Black queer woman in a country not friendly to such people. But her engaging personality, strong guitar skills and stunning vocals, which switched deftly from heartfelt melodic passages to hyper-paced rhythmic, hip-hop style patter, easily won over the large, diverse crowd, which ranged from toddlers to senior citizens.
View the PHOTOSTREAM here.
