Jazz duo digs deep to widen repertoire

“Tony and I both discovered that we wanted to go deeper into the repertoire – more tunes, tunes more off the beaten track – and jazz them up a little bit more,” Orlofsky said.

	Jazz BrasiIeiro WHEN and WHERE: 7-10 tonight at Cosmo Tapas, 4200 E. Central; and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at the Outpost Performance Space, 210 Yale SE HOW MUCH: There is no cover charge for the Cosmo Tapas performance. For the Outpost concert, of which Jazz Brasileiro plays part of one set, admission is $15 general public, $10 students and Outpost members in advance at the Outpost, by calling 268-0044 or at the door

By repertoire, she said she was referring to Brazilian jazz songs that might not work in Saudade’s band setting.

Orlofsky said that the duo is using its own arrangements as well as “flip choruses and verses. Saudade is a little more straight-ahead.”

Cesarano said he saw the duo as an opportunity to combine his knowledge of chords and harmony with Brazilian music and with Orlofsky.

“She gets it,” he said.

Orlofsky, who started singing in 1985 with hippie punk bands and later a local African dance band, said she’s enamored of Brazilian Portuguese and singing in that language.

“Brazilian Portuguese is very romantic,” Cesarano said. “When you combine that with a nylon-string guitar, it’s mellow and beautiful.”

Jazz Brasileiro has just released its self-titled debut CD. There is a CD release concert/party tonight at Cosmo Tapas. Orlofsky said the duo will play the tunes on the album in the order in which they appear, and during the evening they’ll be joined by some Saudade musicians.

Jazz Brasileiro also will perform within a set that Saudade is playing Thursday, Aug. 9, as part of the Outpost Performance Space’s summer jazz series.

Six of the 10 songs on the album were composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim.