Stepping Out

Vincicius Cantuaria's Brazilian beat

A bit of Bossa Nova and much more

Posted

On Stage

Vinicius Cantuaria
The renowned Brazilian singer-songwriter-guitarist, a pioneer of neo-Brazilian music in the 1990s and one of the most important figures of New York’s Brazilian scene, brings his national tour to the area. Drawing inspiration from Brazil’s rich musical history, integrated with jazz, avant-garde and pop, Cantuária’s music is like a rolling rhythmic whisper filled with dramatic turns and stunning sonic ideas. Currently touring with his dynamic ensemble — Helio Alves (piano), Paul Socolow (bass), Adriano Santos (drums) and Marivaldo Dos Santos (percussion) — Cantuária is now based in Brooklyn, where he is redefining the art of Bossa Nova. The result is a captivating Nova Bossa Nova, deeply influenced by music of his heroes: Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Bill Evans and Antonio Carlos Jobim. His dynamic performances continue to excite audiences.
Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m. $40, $35 and $30. Landmark on Main Street, Jeanne Rimsky Theater, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or www.landmarkonmainstreet.org.


In Concert

Musical Cuisine
Old Westbury Gardens Charles II-style mansion is the setting once again for a concert of chamber masterworks in the grandeur of Westbury House’s Red Ballroom. The Chamber Players International ensemble is back with another of its “Musical Cuisine” concerts, featuring acclaimed Israeli pianist-composer Yoni Levyatov and violinist Bela Horvath, along with members of Chamber Players International’s core ensemble. They’ll present Mendelssohn’s lyrical Sonata for Violin and Piano in F major and the Piano Trio in D minor. The international ensemble partnered last September with former Long Island Philharmonic director David Steward Wiley to form the Long Island Concert Orchestra. The new orchestra has announced that it has scheduled its first concert for May 19, at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, the longtime home of the Long Island Philharmonic.
Sunday, March 26, 2 p.m.; a sit down buffet brunch follows. $60. Old Westbury Gardens, 71, Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. (877) 444-4488 or www.chamberplayersinternational.org.

Literary Conversations

Long Island LitFest
Book lovers can share in delights of the written word at the latest edition of “Word Up: Long Island LitFest,” a literary festival, featuring live readings by best-selling authors and award-winning writers. It’s a day to disconnect and unplug those gadgets and find inspiration in the words of Pulitzer Prize-winning humor writer Dave Barry, acclaimed author Gail Sheehy, David Letterman’s longtime staff writer Bill Scheft, SNL’s renowned writer Alan Zweibel, and essayist Cathi Hanauer, among others. They will take turns at the microphone sharing their work, over two sessions throughout the day. In between readings, there will be opportunities for book sales and signings. Two introductory workshops on essay writing and storytelling begin at noon.
Sunday, March 26, 1-6 p.m. $40. Madison Theatre, Molloy College, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or www.madisontheatreny.org.