Eliane Elias, Anat Cohen and Trio da Paz will join Shelly Berg and the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra for a one-night celebration of Brazilian music on November 6
Brazilian music will take center stage in downtown Miami on November 6, when the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts opens its 19th Jazz Roots season with Jobim and the Music of Brazil, a concert celebrating the legacy of composer Antônio Carlos “Tom” Jobim and the rhythms that helped introduce Brazilian music to international audiences.
Scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Knight Concert Hall, the performance will bring together Grammy-winning Brazilian pianist and vocalist Eliane Elias, internationally acclaimed clarinetist Anat Cohen, Brazilian jazz ensemble Trio da Paz and the University of Miami Frost School of Music's Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra. Jazz Roots Artistic Advisor Shelly Berg will host the evening, which will explore bossa nova, samba and choro through orchestral arrangements and jazz improvisation.
For South Florida audiences, the concert offers an opportunity to experience the musical traditions of Brazil while discovering how those sounds became an important part of American jazz. With Miami's longstanding cultural connections to Latin America and the Caribbean, the performance also reflects the city's role as a meeting place for musical traditions from across the Americas.
Celebrating the Composer Who Brought Bossa Nova to the World
Antônio Carlos Jobim helped transform Brazilian popular music during the 1950s and 1960s, combining samba rhythms with jazz-influenced harmonies and understated melodies. His compositions became central to the bossa nova movement, which gained international popularity as Brazilian musicians collaborated with American jazz artists.
Among his best-known works is The Girl from Ipanema, a song that became an international standard and helped introduce generations of listeners to Brazilian music. Jobim's influence extended far beyond a single composition, inspiring musicians to explore the relationship between Brazilian rhythms, jazz improvisation and popular songwriting.
The Arsht Center's upcoming concert will examine that musical legacy through performances representing different approaches to Brazilian jazz. Bossa nova's restrained melodies, samba's energetic rhythmic patterns and choro's intricate instrumental passages will form part of the evening's musical foundation.
Eliane Elias, whose career spans more than three decades, is particularly well suited to the program. Born in Brazil, the pianist, singer and composer has built an international following by combining Brazilian musical traditions with jazz and classical influences. Her recordings include original compositions and interpretations of Brazilian standards, and her work has earned multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards.
Joining Elias is Anat Cohen, a clarinetist and saxophonist recognized for her expressive playing and longstanding engagement with Brazilian music. Although born in Israel, Cohen has developed close artistic connections with Brazilian musicians, bringing the clarinet's distinctive sound into contemporary jazz performances influenced by samba and choro.
Trio da Paz will contribute another dimension to the concert. Founded in 1985, the ensemble features guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca. Their performances combine Brazilian rhythmic traditions with jazz improvisation, drawing on decades of individual and collaborative experience.
Shelly Berg, a five-time Grammy-nominated arranger, producer and pianist, will guide the evening as host. The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, the resident orchestra for Jazz Roots, will provide an orchestral setting that allows the featured musicians to explore the music through a broader range of arrangements and instrumental textures.
Together, the performers represent different generations and interpretations of Brazilian jazz, offering audiences a program that connects Jobim's musical contributions with the continuing evolution of the genre.
A Cultural Experience for Miami Audiences and Students
The November 6 concert also marks the beginning of the Arsht Center's 2026–2027 Jazz Roots season, continuing a series that has brought internationally recognized jazz musicians to Miami since 2008.
Beyond its public performances, Jazz Roots includes an educational component designed to introduce younger audiences to professional musicians and live performance. Through Jazz Roots Sound Check, high school students from Miami-Dade County Public Schools have opportunities to attend complimentary sound checks and lectures, with occasional opportunities to perform alongside featured artists.
The program exposes student musicians to a professional sound check and gives them a hands-on musical education experience thanks to local teaching artists – all for free..
For residents interested in attending Jobim and the Music of Brazil, tickets range from $53 to $153, including applicable taxes and fees. They are available through ArshtCenter.org or the Arsht Center box office at 305-949-6722. Ticket availability, programming and prices are subject to change.
The Knight Concert Hall offers accessible seating and complimentary assistive listening devices. Additional accessibility services, including sign language interpretation, open captioning and audio description, are available at select performances. Guests requiring specific accommodations should contact the venue in advance to confirm availability for this concert.
The performance arrives at a time when Miami's cultural calendar continues to reflect the region's diverse musical influences. While Brazilian music has its own distinctive history, its connection to jazz demonstrates how musical traditions can cross borders while retaining their cultural identities.
By bringing together Brazilian performers, internationally recognized jazz musicians and a Miami-based orchestra, Jobim and the Music of Brazil offers more than a retrospective of a celebrated composer. It presents an opportunity to hear how Jobim's musical ideas continue to influence contemporary performance while introducing new audiences to the richness of Brazil's musical heritage.
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