JAZZ REVIEW : Brazilian Music Finds Fresh Talent in Estevao

Although three decades have passed since the film “Black Orpheus” with its unique musical score triggered a worldwide explosion of Brazilian music, such artists as Eliana Estevao, now at La Ve Lee in Studio City, reminds us of the idiom’s ongoing infusion of fresh talent.

Tall, dark, reed-slim and contagiously cheerful, Estevao has toured the world with the musical show “Oba Oba,” serving up a repertoire that spans early and contemporary samba. In fact she does more, since her opener, “Fascinacio” (better known here as “Fascination”), dates back to 1915. Opening a cappella, she was sparked from the second chorus by a trio to the bossa born: Valtinho Arid on keyboards, Eduardo del Signore on electric bass and Aziz Bucater on drums.

The Brazilian traditions inform every song as she mines the rich resources of her country, from Jobim’s “Aguas de Marco” and Marcos Balle’s “Deixa O Mondo e O Sol Entrar” to more recent works like Ivan Lins’ “Comecar do Novo” (“The Island”) and Djavan’s “Capim.” Her sound is strong yet never overpowering, her rhythmic sense innate but owing little to American jazz.

Estevao works mainly seated on a high stool, yet she gives the concert impression of being physically involved. Only one song, “Fragile,” was in English.

A couple of times she announced in English, reading (no doubt phonetically) from a script. She assured her audience that there is much more to Brazilian music than the basic samba, and that certain songs deal with social problems.

Such is her grace and charm that language barriers crumble as they do when a Vaughan or a Fitzgerald visits some remote outpost. The message of Eliana Estevao is a bolder and much-needed update of what was nervously offered when Astrud Gilberto told us, a quarter-century ago, about the Girl From Ipanema.

Estevao will remain at Le Ve Lee Wednesdays through Saturdays for at least another two months.