Building upon the success of their recent recording Lado B. Brazilian Project 2, singer Catina DeLuna and her husband pianist Otmaro Ruiz performed at the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music (SCM) with a world class septet that also included Robert Kyle mostly on alto flute (also playing a bit of tenor and soprano), guitarists Roberto Montero and Larry Koonse, bassist Edwin Livingston, and drummer Marcelo Bucater. “Lado B” means “Side B” and symbolizes the fact that Catina DeLuna and her group mostly perform lesser-known Brazilian and bossa-nova songs.

            Displaying a beautiful voice and a versatile style while singing in Portuguese, the vocalist interpreted such songs as Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Passarim” (which featured her scatting in unison with the piano), a reharmonized version of Jobim’s well-known “Aguas de Marco” (“Waters Of March”), Milton Nascimento’s “Tristesse” (a melancholy ballad which also had Montero singing),  and “Na Volta que o Mundo Da.” On “Cueca de Agua,” Ms. DeLuna switched to piano and sang a vocal duet with Montero. Catina also performed a vocal-drums duet with Ducater on “É Luxo Só,” and “Vatapá” as a duo with Ruiz.

            The concert, which attracted an impressively large audience for a late Sunday afternoon show, also included the melancholy Ivan Lins piece “Choro das Águas,” “Aluvião” which was highlighted by a piano-guitar tradeoff, and the joyful samba “Requebre que eu Dou um Doce” which had some of the hottest solos of the night.

            The music, which was full of happy spirits, expressive singing, and creative interplay by the musicians, was held at a particularly attractive venue. Hopefully the Silver Lake Conservatory of Music will be hosting many more jazz-oriented events in the future.