Booker, American jazz musician, shaped the career of singer Eliana Pittman
American jazz musician Booker played a significant role in shaping the career of Brazilian singer Eliana Pittman, highlighted during her recent show at the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo.
On a warm afternoon last spring, excitement was palpable outside São Paulo's largest library, Mário de Andrade, where a line formed for a show featuring singer Eliana Pittman alongside Alaíde Costa and Graça Braga. The library, designed by French architect Jacques Pilon, serves as a public cultural square hosting various artistic events, reaffirming its importance in the city's cultural landscape.
Eliana Pittman, a renowned figure in the Brazilian music scene, took a moment to engage with the audience before her performance, reflecting on her history with jazz and her connections to the genre, particularly through Booker, an influential American musician who played a crucial role in her career. She recounted the jam sessions held by Folha in the 1960s, showcasing the library's role not just as a repository of books but as a vibrant cultural hub.
The show attracted a diverse crowd, predominantly young and Black, illustrating not only an anticipation for Eliana's music but also a deeper sense of cultural identification. Many ticket seekers were left disappointed outside the venue, underscoring the significant draw of the event and the importance of artists like Eliana Pittman in bridging jazz traditions between the United States and Brazil, which reflects the ongoing evolution of music and cultural exchange in the modern era.