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Helio Alves Trio – Brazilian Jazz / First Set
The Brazilian Trio innovates with a blend of jazz, fusion, and Brazilian rhythms, combining Bulhões’s dynamic drumming, Alves’s intricate piano, and Lopes’s versatile bass to create a deeply melodic and rhythmically complex sound.
Admission: $20: Cover at Mezzanine.
Featuring:
Gili Lopes / Piano
Edward Peres / Bass
Dennis Bulhões / Drums; arrangements and compositions
About Helio Alves
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, pianist Helio Alves skillfully blends the intricate rhythms of Brazilian music with the bold intensity of contemporary jazz. Since relocating to New York City in the 1990s, Alves has earned acclaim as a sought-after sideman, performing alongside renowned artists such as Joe Henderson, Yo-Yo Ma, Sadao Watanabe, Slide Hampton, Airto Moreira & Flora Purim, Paquito D’Rivera, Joyce, and Rosa Passos, among others.
Alves has released four solo albums, showcasing his versatile piano skills: “Trios” (1998), “Portrait in Black & White” (2004), “It’s Clear” (2009), and “Musica” (date), featuring collaborations with Antonio Sanchez, Reuben Rogers, Claudio Roditi, and Romero Lubambo.
Explore the world of Brazilian jazz piano through Helio’s online course, “Brazilian Jazz Piano.” Don’t miss his latest album, “At Play,” a vibrant collaboration with Romero Lubambo, Reuben Rogers, and Edu Ribeiro, available now. Discover more and get your copy at www.openstudiojazz.com.
Also, delve into the captivating sounds of “Águas Brasileiras,” the new release from The Brazilian Trio, featuring Helio Alves, Nilson Matta, and Duduka Da Fonseca. This album is available now on Zoho Music. For more information, visit www.braziliantriomusic.net.
About Gili Lopes:
Gili Lopes is a Brazilian bassist and composer born in Porto Alegre in 1983. Introduced to music through Brazilian folkloric traditions, he began playing bass at age 14 as a self-taught musician and quickly became active in local bands. In his early 20s, he moved to London to study upright bass, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and establishing himself as a freelance musician across the UK for more than a decade.
In 2013, Lopes continued his studies at the Jazz Institute Berlin, completing a Master’s degree in Composition and Arrangement from the University of the Arts Berlin (UDK). Since then, he has built an international career, performing in more than 35 countries and appearing at major venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, Queen Elizabeth Hall, SummerStage in Central Park, the Nice Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, the Seoul Jazz Festival, the Frederic Chopin Philharmonic, and Jazz Is Dead in Los Angeles.
About Dennis Bulhões:
Dennis Boolyoins earned the title of “XI Batuka! Master” after winning Brazil’s prestigious international drumming competition Batuka! Brasil in 2010. Born in João Pessoa, northeastern Brazil, he began studying percussion at age seven and earned a Bachelor of Music from the Federal University of Paraíba under Professor Francisco Xavier.
He later served as a professional percussionist, drummer, and instructor at UFPB until 2019, before returning to New York. Dennis has performed across Brazil, Europe, and Africa with artists such as Sivuca, Maria Creuza, and Proveta, and holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies from Queens College. He is currently focused on publishing two books on Brazilian drumming while working as a freelance musician and educator.