The free Jazz in the Park series returns to Playhouse Village this weekend with an evening of Brazilian sound. Little Brazil performs Sunday, June 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Van Halen Stage at Playhouse Village Park, part of a summer-long run of Sunday-evening concerts.
Led by Pasadena-based Brazilian musicians Natália Spadini and Marcelo Bucater, Little Brazil revisits defining moments of Brazilian music from a contemporary perspective, moving through samba, choro, baião and bossa nova in an acoustic set built around vocals, nylon-string guitar, drums and percussion. Because the players live and work in Pasadena, the group keeps the music close to its roots while giving the arrangements a modern edge.
The concert series, presented by the Playhouse Village Association in partnership with the Playhouse Village Foundation and Arash Danialifar, runs every Sunday in June and July. Funding comes in part from a grant from Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and from donors to the Playhouse Village Foundation. Organizers encourage attendees to bring a blanket or low chair and to pick up dinner from a nearby restaurant to enjoy as a picnic.
Seating is first come, first served on the lawn, with on-site parking available. The artsy Playhouse Village neighborhood, home to the Pasadena Playhouse and a cluster of shops and eateries, makes an easy backdrop for a warm evening of live music.
Upcoming performers include a Los Angeles College of Music showcase on July 5 and the Susie Hansen Latin Jazz Band on July 12.
Jazz in the Park, featuring Little Brazil, will run on Sunday, June 28 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Playhouse Village Park, 701 E. Union St., Pasadena. For more information, call (626) 744-0340 or visit playhousevillage.org. Admission is free.
