Wed., Jan. 5, 8 p.m., $10-$13, with Dangermuffin and Cabinet, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by Mary Armstrong
Published: Dec 29, 2010
[ brazilian/jazz ]

"I've been super blessed. I've had a lot of amazing opportunities this year — and I'm hoping for more," says Clay Ross, guitarist and singer with Matuto, calling from the middle of a dust devil of a tour swirling around his Southern birthplace. Every year he books a reunion trip with high school musical buds and gets paid to return to South Carolina for the holidays. The rest of the year Ross is a member of Canadian fiddler April Verch's band, but his principal joy is Matuto, the Brazilian group that lets him fold all his jazz and old-time licks into one juicy North-to-South American stew. Having partners who also master a breadth of styles makes it all possible. Accordionist Rob Curto is known for his work with Lila Downs, but is said to be the foremost forró interpreter outside Brazil. Drummer Richie Barshay met Ross while both were studying music in Brazil. Between Matuto gigs he tours with Esperanza Spalding. Rob Hecht's fiddle moves seamlessly from Norman Blake nuevo-Appalachian to samba.