What's on - Tropical Dance Orchestra

Tropical Dance Sextet's "Chin, Chin" album release

Chin, Chin, the Tropical Dance Sextet's latest album has its Brisbane release at Foco Nuevo on Friday evening 7 March 2025.

Recorded at Fruit Bat Studios in June 2024, the album features 14 tracks of wonderful music from Brazil, Italy, and Mexico with some inventive takes of great jazz classics.

Hear new songs by Natalia Lafourcade, Halie Loren, and Stacey Kent, as well as classics by Michel Legrand, Sting, Peggy Lee and Jobim.

The Tropical Dance Sextet is Grace Rigby (vocals), Kay Sullivan (accordion), Eddie Gazani (guitar/vocals), Roberto Fontana (trumpet), Nico Iaia (percussion/vocals) and Peter Freeman (bass).

Hope to see you at the Brisbane album launch.

Friday evening 7 March 2025
Foco Nuevo
31 Arras St
Yeronga

0400 743 128
in.music@live.com

Rome to Rio +

Back to the wonderful Majestic Theatre, Pomona in 2023.

Catch the Tropical Dance Sextet with the best songs from Italy, Brazil and beyond.

Thursday 28 September 2023, 1:00pm - 3:30pm.

Tickets: https://www.themajestictheatre.com.au/whats-on-new-events

Rome to Rio - Majestic Theatre, Pomona - 27 September 2022

Rome to Rio - Majestic Theatre, Pomona NEW DATE ------------------ 27 September 2022 ------------------

Rome to Rio – wonderful music from Italy and Brazil

The Tropical Dance Sextet presents Rome to Rio, an exploration of the fascinating musical alchemy between Italy and Brazil. Delightful melodies, great arrangements and superb performances by some of Brisbane’s best jazz musicians.

Having performed recently to sell-out crowds at the Brisbane Jazz Club and the Jazz Sessions at Forest Glen, the Tropical Dance Sextet are now bringing their show to the magnificent Majestic Theatre at Pomona for the Noosa Jazz Club. Their Rome to Rio show will present some of the most popular and appealing songs by artists such as Ennio Morricone, Vinicius de Moraes, Ary Barroso, Paolo Conte, Bruno Martino, Walter Malgoni, Henry Mancini, Francesco de Gregori, Luiz Bonfá, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Pink Martini and more ...

Enjoy the sounds of Italy and Brazil in an afternoon of wonderful music by the Tropical Dance Sextet at the Majestic Theatre, Pomona.

WHAT: Rome to Rio; The Tropical Dance Sextet

WHEN: Tuesday 27 September 2022, 1:30 – 4:30pm

WHERE: Majestic Theatre, 3 Factory Street, Pomona

ENQUIRIES: Noosa Jazz Club - Ph: 0478 256 245

TICKETS: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=958644&

Watch the Tropical Dance Sextet performing "Aspettami" from their Rome to Rio show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIu_R80kv_k

Beatles in Rio

Coming to the Sunshine Coast - 5 June 2022

The two most-recorded songs ever are the Beatles "Yesterday" and Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim's "Girl from Ipanema".

Discover why - when you hear your favourite songs as originally orchestrated by "The Fifth Beatle", George Martin, together with some of Brazil's best and most popular songs arranged by Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim. This show will be about wonderful melodies, great arrangements and the musical legacy of these remarkable musicians.

George Martin is often referred to as "The Fifth Beatle" because of his work with John, Paul, George and Ringo. His ability to combine classical music techniques (especially the use of strings) with popular (rock) music of the day transformed the Beatles music into a class of its own.

Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim is undoubtedly Brazil's best-known popular music composer/arranger. He was the leading musical force behind "bossa-nova", the Brazilian sound that seduced the world in the 1960s, with songs such as "The Girl from Ipanema", "One-note samba", "Meditation" “Corcovado” and "Wave".

Highlighting the admiration George and Tom had for each other's music, the Tropical Dance Orchestra will play classic Beatles and bossa-nova songs working from the original arrangements, with occasional improvised twists.

George Martin (left) and Antônio Carlos (Tom) Jobim (right) in Rio 1993.

Jazz & Blues Collective
Millwell Road Community Centre
11 Millwell Road East
Maroochydore

Sunday 5 June 2022
1:30pm - 4:00pm

TICKETS

Rome to Rio - Jazz Sessions - 27 March 2022

Enjoy the sounds of Italy and Brazil in an afternoon of wonderful music played by the Tropical Dance Sextet at:

The Jazz Sessions

Glass House Brewery

8/330 Mons Road

Forest Glen

Sunshine Coast

Sunday 27 March 2022

6:00 - 8:30pm.

The band will present some of the most popular and appealing songs by artists such as Luiz Bonfa, Vinicius de Moraes, Paolo Conte, Bruno Martino, Ary Barroso, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Pink Martini and more.

Exploring the musical alchemy between Italy and Brazil will be:

Eddie Gazani - guitar/vocal

Grace Rigby - vocal

Kay Sullivan - accordion

Gareth Mewes - violin

Nico Iaia - percussion/vocal

Peter Freeman - bass

Rome to Rio CD

Available from Peter <in.music@live.com>

Watch the studio performance of "Hang on little tomato" and "Aspettami".

A fabulous, sold out, Rome to Rio show with the Tropical Dance Sextet at the Brisbane Jazz Club, Sunday 15 August 2021.

Special guest Marcos Araujo on berimbau.

Watch the live performance of "Berimbau" [click here].

Thanks to Geoff Norris for the great photos.

Rome to Rio - Sunday 15 August 2021

Enjoy the sounds of Italy and Brazil in an afternoon of wonderful music played by the Tropical Dance Sextet.

Featuring guitar, accordion, trumpet, percussion, bass and three fabulous vocalists who will together present some of the most popular and appealing songs by artists such as Ennio Morricone, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ary Barroso, Paolo Conte, Bruno Martino, Walter Malgoni, Henry Mancini, Francesco de Gregori, Pink Martini, and more.

Sunday afternoon, 15 August 2021, 3pm - 6pm
Brisbane Jazz Club on the banks of the Brisbane River.
1 Annie Street, Kangaroo Point

Tropical Dance Trio & Guests

Brisbane Jazz Club
Thursday 29 October 2020, 7:30 - 10pm

Savour the refined heart of the best music from around the world (Brazil, France, Italy & America) with the Tropical Dance Trio.

Eddie Gazani - vocal/guitar

Kay Sullivan - accordion

Peter Freeman - bass

Discover wonderful songs from artists such as Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Luiz Bonfa, Hermeto Pascoal, Pixinguinha, Henri Salvador, Vincenzo di Paola, Sandra Taccani, Bruno Martino, Pink Martini, Johnny Mercer, Henri Mancini and Dave Ricketts plus originals.

Book Launch - The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim

Announcing the Brisbane launch of Peter Freeman's book
The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim

Antônio Carlos Jobim has been called the greatest of all contemporary Brazilian songwriters. He wrote both popular and serious music and was a gifted piano, guitar and flute player. One of the key figures in the creation of the bossa nove style, Jobim's music made a lasting impression worldwide, and many of his songs are now standards of the popular music repertoire. In his book Peter Freeman shines a light on on not only the many musical influences that formed Jobim's musical output, but also the stylistic peculiarities that were the product of a great composer.

Come and join the celebrations at the Brisbane Jazz Club and get your book copy signed by the author for the best price (much less expensive than online). You know his music - "Girl from Ipanema", "Corcovado", "One note samba", but these are just some of Jobim's wonderful songs and instrumental compositions. Hear what the book is all about with the Tropical Dance Orchestra performing some exquisite Jobim pieces with full orchestration including the TDO's five-piece string section.

--- FREE ENTRY ---

Tuesday 30 July 2019
Meals available
Doors open 6:30pm
Music, author interview and book signing
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Brisbane Jazz Club
1 Annie Street, Kangaroo Point
To book a table
Phone: 07 3391 2006 or 0497 657 907

About the book:

The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim by Peter Freeman
One of the first extensive musicological analyses of the Brazilian
composer, this book examines the music, philosophy and circumstances
surrounding the creation of Jobim's popular songs, instrumental
compositions and symphonic works. It reveals not only the many musical
influences that formed Jobim's musical output, but also the stylistic
peculiarities that were as much the product of a gifted composer as that
of the rich musical environment and heritage that surrounded him.

www.intellectbooks.com

More from the Masters - Saturday 17 November 2018

Come and enjoy the music of these two extraordinary composers who have worked both as a team and as highly successful individual songwriters.

Their mutual admiration led to Sting singing "Insensitive (Insensatez)" on Jobim's last album Antonio Brasileiro, and Sting performing bossa-nova inspired songs such as his "La belle dame sans regrets" and "Fragile (Fragilidade)" in portuguese.

Bookings: Brisbane Jazz Club
1 Annie Street, Kangaroo Point
Saturday 17 November 2018
7:30 - 10:00pm

The music of Sting & Jobim - Saturday 5 May 2018

The Tropical Dance Orchestra celebrates the music of two of the world's greatest songwriters.

Brisbane Jazz Club
Saturday 5 May 2018

A night with Jobim

Following the tremendous response to our show last year, The Ultimate Seducer, TDO present A Night with Jobim.

One of the greatest composers of the 20th century.
Hear favourites and magnificent songs you didn't know this great composer wrote, performed with strings and Brisbane's finest jazz musicians.

Tickets:

Brisbane Jazz Club

Friday 25 August 2017

7:30 - 10:00pm

A Tribute to the Music of Antônio Carlos Jobim

The thirteen-piece Tropical Dance Orchestra
with special guests:

Clive Moorhead (piano)

Kay Sullivan (accordion)

Mauricio Hosi (guitar)
Steph Dick (vocals)
Marcelo Rosciano (percussion)
Anje West (vocals/percussion)

Thursday 22 September 2016

7:30 - 10pm

Bookings: Brisbane Jazz Club

A Night in Rio - 12 December 2015

click picture to enlarge

For bookings click here.

You must remember this - Tuesday 11 November 2014

TDO presents You must remember this, a free lunchtime concert at Brisbane City Hall on Tuesday 11 November 2014. Hear Brazilian, jazz and wartime favourites with special guests from the group Para Voce and TDO's five-piece string section.

Coming up- Sunday 3 November 2013

The Tropical Dance Orchestra presents a night of scintillating Brazilian music in Brisbane. A musical feast featuring the sumptuous strings of the 13-piece Tropical Dance Orchestra, Brisbane’s best Brazilian musicians and some surprise guests. Hear classic bossa-nova, samba and choro standards in the way they were meant to be heard — happy, sad and full of life & colour.

Special guests: from Adelaide Mike Bevan and Charmaine Jones

Bookings: Brisbane Jazz Club
Enquiries: 0400 743 128

TDO at State Library of Queensland

On Saturday 10 August 2013, 4 - 7pm.
Dont' miss the Tropical Dance Orchestra's appearance at the State Library of Queensland.

This will be a special FREE show as part of the
Live! Queensland Band Culture exhibition

celebrating the soundtrack of our state

and ...
on Sunday 3 November, 2013...

Brisil

Featuring the fantastic music of Brazil in Brisbane. Hear the songs you love and the best of samba, bossa-nova and choro with the luscious strings of the Tropical Dance Orchestra and guest musicians born and bought up with music in Brazil.

Highlights from the French Connection

Click to see some of the Youtube video highlights of the
French Connection evening at the Brisbane Jazz Club,
Sunday 4 November, 2012.

"Nuages," "A cafe in Montparnasse" and "Midnight"

"Bistro fada," "Night and Day" and " You don't know me"

For more information email:
tropicaldanceorchestra@westnet.com.au
0400 743 128

You'll remember November with ...

The Tropical Dance Orchestra and Swing Manouche play some of the best French repertoire with strings on Sunday 4 November, 6-9pm, at the Brisbane Jazz Club.

(click to enlarge)

This will be a fabulous night with some specially-written arrangements for two excellent jazz ensembles. Hear the songs you know and love performed by Brisbane's best jazz artists with strings!
Bookings: Brisbane Jazz Club.