Bossa Tres & Thomas Steele Quartet

Bossa Tres

Bossa Três has been performing Bossa Nova and Brazilian Samba classics, as well as a variety of Brazilian rarities and original material since 2001. Their repertoire draws from the greatest of the Brazilian composers and performers like Ary Barroso, Dorival Caymmi, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendoça, João Gilberto, Chico Buarque and Caetano Veloso.

Bossa Três leader Victor Monsivais: vocalist, songwriter, guitarist; has been playing and singing Bossa Nova for over forty years, in particular the music of Antônio Carlos Jobim who, along with Thelonious Monk and Jimmy Van Heusen, is one of his favorite composers. The Trio consists of Victor, who sings Jobim’s songs in their original Portuguese versions and plays the guitar with the true Bossa beat; bassist Frank Sants who plays a deep and mellow-toned bass, and drummer/percussionist Federico Monsivais who plays with a soft, classical feel, yet, with the attack and syncopation of authentic Latin rhythm.

The rarely heard hard-smooth Brazilian and Latin percussion of Bossa Três recreates the atmosphere of a quiet night in Copacabana… the mood of a Carnival in Bahia…a hot Tropicana session in La Habana, or the romance of a classical jazz evening. Bossa Três’ performances bring life to the pieces they play, creating an aura of “alegría and saudade” which are the two basic ingredients of Brazilian music. Bossa Três often appears as a quartet or quintet featuring talented guest musicians, this evening, pianist Dan Farrell and Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet and Flute player Brendan Cassidy, both a perfect fit to Jobim’s music and long time Victor’s associates, will be joining the ensemble.

Thomas Steele Quartet

Thomas Steele is an emerging musician and educator in Toronto.

Thomas has had the opportunity to learn alongside and work with many of North America’s top faces in jazz, including Maria Schneider, Mike Murley, Gordon Foote, Tara Davidson, Alex Dean, Rich Brown and Collen Allen amongst others.

A saxophonist and woodwind doubler, Thomas has enjoyed performance opportunities through both big band and small jazz ensembles. He has participated in a variety of music festivals across Toronto, ON and Montreal, QC, leading to invitations to perform across North America, from Niagara Falls, ON to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

Thomas has had the fortuity to perform across Canada including Toronto, Ontario’s Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar, Lula Lounge and Emmet Ray, as well as Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill in Montreal, QC. You can find Thomas performing in Toronto regularly with his co-led quintet, his standards quartet, as a member of University of Toronto jazz ensembles, or as a sideman.