RODICA BLUES: THE SINGER

Originally from Boston, Rodica has studied extensively various forms of popular north-american music, specifically jazz and blues, since 15 years of age, when she began her professional career as a singer.  After years of intensive study in music schools and conservatories in the Boston area, she created her own unique style, based on her experiences living and working in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil and Russia. The fact that she is an anthropologist as well as a singer has most definitely enriched her studies of diverse musical expressions in different cultural contexts.  It has been affirmed by musical critics that her original style as a singer reflects her knowledge of other cultures and her understanding of their musical nuances.

Once established in Brazil, Rodica in 2001 put together two bands and undertook a musical  odyssey that aimed to demonstrate the diverse manifestations of blues, from spirituals, work songs, and jazz. She has appeared regularly in various nightclubs and theaters in Belo Horizonte and throughout the diverse regions of Minas Gerais, in the circuit of SESCs (cultural centers) of São Paulo and has participated in important events and festivals in several other regions of Brazil.   Rodica appeared in the following festivals: Festival of Jazz in Governador Valadares, MG (2005), Festival of Blues in Ibitipoca, MG (2006 e 2009), Festival of Blues and Jazz in Campos, RJ (2007), Festival of Blues and Jazz in Rio das Ostras, RJ (2006, ‘07, ‘08), Festival “Tudo é Jazz” in Ouro Preto, MG (2008), SESC Blues & Jazz Festival of Barra Mansa, RJ (2009), Festival Jazz & Blues of Shopping Barra Garden, RJ (2010), Savassi Festival of Jazz in Belo Horizonte, MG (2010), Winter Music Festival in Itabira, MG (2010), Winter Music Festival in Perdões, MG (2010), Penedo Blues Festival in Penedo, RJ (2010 & 2011) and the 1 Pensador Blues Festival in Curitiba, Paraná (2010).

In August of 2009, Rodica moved to Rio de Janeiro where she has managed to broaden her group of musical partners and continues her musical projects. Currently she works with the Julio Bittencourt Trio (SP) and Blues Groovers (RJ) in two distinct show formats.

Over the past six years, in partnership with the singer and compositor Sérgio Pererê (from the state of Minas Gerais), Rodica has been involved with a cultural project that explores the relationship between the Afro-Brazilian musical traditions and the “work songs” and spirituals of African American workers from the beginning of the 20th century.  This project, approved by the State Ministry of Culture in 2006, involved the production of a show called “Rosário de Peixes: The encounter between Blues and Afro-Brazilian music”, which took place in June of 2007 in the Palace of the Arts, in Belo Horizonte, MG, and in Setember of 2008, in the Seventh Edition of the Jazz Festival in Ouro Preto, MG .

In July of 2009 Rodica released her first CD, “From Mississippi to São Francisco,” presenting to the public the results of research developed over the years. This CD presents original compositions by Rodica and her musical partners, Afro-Brazilian songs (used in Congado and other Afro-Brazilian traditions), as well as traditional African American songs called “spirituals”, which is the earliest expression of blues.  This CD also includes special appearances by Vasco Faé (singer and harmonica player from São Paulo) and Sérgio Pererê and Titane (both well-renowned singers from Minas Gerais).

In Rio de Janeiro, where Rodica currently lives, she was able to develop a strong partnership with a well-know blues trio called “Blues Groovers”, which enabled her to develop a new line of work, dedicated towards exploring the diverse expressions of what we call “blues”. The emphasis in this new work is not so much on its origins as a musical form, but rather on its evolution through time. Such a partnership resulted in her second CD:  “Blues in my Blood”.  Released in 2012, this new CD intends to take us on a journey through time that reveals the various ramifications of blues, in its dialogue with other musical genres, such as jazz, country, folk and soul.  It shows the richness of the blues tradition, which is able to interact with other musical forms and expressions without losing its identity. In this new CD, Rodica was able to bring together an accomplished group of Brazilian musicians to accompany her in a rich and inspiring repertoire. The album is enriched by the collaboration of other musicians – such as the pianist Marco Tommaso, participants of the Julio Bittencourt Trio, the singer and percussionist Sérgio Pererê and the singer Ricardo Werther.