Luther College senior Andrew Stoneking of Albert Lea was one of 20 student musicians who traveled with the Luther College Jazz Orchestra to seven Brazilian cities during a 13-day tour in May 2008.

Stoneking, the son of Steve and Julie Stoneking of Albert Lea, is a 2005 graduate of Albert Lea High School.  He is majoring in music at Luther. 

During the study-abroad trip, the Jazz Orchestra appeared in many of Brazil’s most famous venues, including the Teatro de So Caetano do Sul, the Teatro do Ses-Consolaco, Sala GuiomarNovaes Concert Hall, Teatro Municipal de Cabo Frio and Sala Villa-Lobos-Uni Rio.  The Luther musicians also performed live during the jazz program on MEC Radio, a national radio station of Brazil.

The Luther Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Juan Tony Guzmn, presented the full scope of their repertoire ranging from Duke Ellington songs, such as “It Don’t Mean A Thing” and “Crescendo and Diminuendo in Blue” to hard bob and Brazilian songs such as “Better Get Hit in Your Soul” and “Samba De Uma Nota S.”

Guzmn said the orchestra, while working with the best sound engineers in the country, received standing ovations from full houses every time they took the stage, and audiences demanded encores after every performance.

The group also participated in workshops with renowned Brazilian bands at Sesc Consolaco, Funarte in So Caetano, Banda Canela de So Paulo, and the Universidad Federal de Rio de Janeiro.

Along with the performances, the orchestra members had free time to do some sightseeing in Corcovado and picturesque Rio de Janeiro, and they enjoyed an afternoon on the beautiful beaches of Cabo Frio.

Guzmn said he chose Brazil as the destination because of the tremendous impact that country’s diverse music and culture has had in American music.  Brazil introduced the bossa nova and samba, musical styles that famous American artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett have incorporated into their music.

Benjamin Yates and Ted Schacherer, both instrumentalists in the Jazz Orchestra, stated how the informal and relaxed atmosphere of the country allowed the band to interact with the Brazilian performers and learn their techniques, as well as share their own performance and style techniques.