Rebecca Kleinmann, Ingrid Nora Knight & Courtney Crumpler: Into Brazil

Connected by a deep love of Brazilian culture and music, these three brilliant world-traveling artists pay tribute to the glorious spectrum and history of Brazilian music. Join us for a journey into Brazil featuring music from traditional Forró to delicate, sophisticated Choro, to modern and inspired original compositions. Flutist and singer Rebecca Kleinmann, recently returned from her twelfth time visiting Brazil says, “This music draws us in and inspires us with its unique flavor and way of integrating delightfully complex rhythms with gorgeous harmonies and melodies.”

Rebecca Kleinmann started synthesizing her diverse musical interests as a flutist and vocalist at Indiana University, where she historically graduated as the first Jazz Flute major in the history of the school’s Jazz Studies program. She then moved to California where she lived for 20 years, performing widely and teaching music. She began her yearly pilgrimages to Brazil where she cultivated her love and understanding of various Brazilian musical genres. Now newly based in her home state of North Carolina, Rebecca leads her quintet RKQ, which was awarded the 2024 Chamber music America Performance Plus grant, Brazilian Choro groups Noites Carolinas and Forró Triangulo, and is a professor at UNC Chapel Hill as the director of Charanga Carolina.

Ingrid Nora Knight is a pianist from rural North Carolina. Growing up in Appalachia, she was surrounded by a rich musical tradition of bluegrass and old-time music, but it was when she discovered jazz in high school that she decided to pursue music full-time. Ingrid was self-taught as a jazz pianist for many years, but owes most of her formal jazz training to North Carolina Central University. She has also found a deep love of Brazilian music and founded and leads her group Também featuring Brazilian-inspired original compositions.

Courtney Crumpler is a percussionist, multi-disciplinary movement artist, organizer, and translator working between Durham, North Carolina, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was a founding member of the Rio-based forró band Flor de Manacá, a member of the Grande Companhia Brasileira de Mysterios e Novidades and a performer in Rio de Janeiro street carnaval.