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The Brazilian Project Radio show airs on Thursdays from 8:00am to 9:00am. Amanda Ruzza will be the featured artist this week on April 19th, 2012. Amanda Ruzza is a Brazilian electric bass player and composer based in New York City. You can listen to the entire radio show with the interview with her at WHUS 91.7 FM here http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45845376/Amanda%20Ruzza%20WHUS.mp3
Born in São Paulo, Brazil to a Chilean mother who loved opera and an Italian father who loved rock n’ roll, Amanda developed an eclectic musical ear at an early age. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and English, music was one more language that she learned how to use to communicate across international cultural boundaries. While growing up, there were always records playing at her house, and Amanda started playing bass at the age of 12. By age 13, she was already gigging professionally. While in Brazil, she worked with distinguished Brazilian producers and arrangers, including Grammy Award-winner Moogie Canazio, Maestro Jobam and Sony Music Japan's Osny Mello.
Currently, she performs with groups in a variety of styles, such as Global Noize, and Chris Stover’s Caetano Veloso Project, as well as with her own band, the Amanda Ruzza Group. Amanda’s multicultural background has influenced her passion for composing music that incorporates elements of funk, jazz and South American rhythms. Her group was formed while she obtained her dual degree in Jazz Bass Performance and Liberal Arts at The New School in New York City. In addition, Amanda is also a session bassist having participated in recordings with Bebel Gilberto, Jason Miles, Simone Giuliani and Simon Katz (Jamiroquai).
As the recipient of the highly competitive Latin American World Tour Scholarship, Amanda moved to the U.S.A to study bass performance and contemporary writing and production at Berklee College of Music. In 2003, Amanda began touring and recording with the all-girl country band, Mustang Sally, based in Nashville, Tennessee. With a rugged touring schedule of 262 days a year, she performed in 43 states and four countries. While in the band, she worked with country music producer Barry Beckett, recorded four albums, and played for US military bases overseas in Japan, South Korea, and within the US.
Amanda Ruzza’s debut solo album This is What Happened from 2012 brings a nice flavor from the Latin Jazz music. The CD release party will take place on Tuesday May 22nd in New York, NY at the Zinc Bar (82W 3rd St) starting at 7:30pm with Amanda Ruzza Group. Check it out at www.amandaruzza.com