Singer-songwriter João Selva grew up in Rio de Janeiro, as the son of a priest, in a community of ex-convicts and artists who had seen the light. As a child, he played the guitar under the watchful eye of Wanda Sá, one of bossa nova’s most iconic figures. At the age of eighteen he started exploring the world, and eventually he settled in Lyon, France, where he became an ardent ambassador of Brazilian music.
On his second album Navegar, the Brazilian singer returns to the samba-meets-soul-jazz vibes of his youth. It has become a true ode to Creole culture and Tropicália, the innovative movement of the 1960s. Moreover, it is a response to the distressing political situation in his homeland; João Selva strives to offer hope through the musical wealth that Brazil has to offer.
This program is part of the Amsterdam Roots Festival.
João Selva vocals/guitar, Boris Pokora vocals/tenor sax/flute, Bruno Patchworks vocals/bass, Nico Taité vocals/drums, Paul Charnay piano
