CLAUDIA VILLELA

About the Artist

"Villela actually dances with her voice on top of Brazilian beats."
San Francisco Examiner

Claudia Villela's haunting improvisations and her arresting five-octave range have earned her an enthusiastic and devoted following. Claudia's passionately independent spirit, coupled with a unique gift for evoking her rich musical heritage, have established her as one of jazz' most impressive vocalists. "...Completely natural and unaffected" (Village News), Claudia wows audiences with her ability to create magic from a seemingly limitless well of inspiration.

Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Claudia Villela would fall asleep at night listening to the sounds of a samba school practicing behind her grandmother's home. "I awoke to the melodies my mother sang while my father played harmonica", she recalls. "I was influenced by a rich musical diet. My music is the sum of all of the sounds I've heard - from Brazilian macumba, to free form jazz, to classical music. It comes from all those memories."

Recordings