Merryall Center offer wide variety of music in September

New Milford’s Merryall Center for the Arts always has been noted for providing a wide variety of music in a range of genres. September is a great example, with music ranging from Brazilian to Renaissance Europe.

On Sept. 16, Tom do Brasil returns to the Merryall stage, with an added boost.

Formed to perform the music style Choro, they expanded to include Bossa Nova, Forro, and Sertanejo. They have partnered with New York City-based Vox Novus to commission new works by contemporary composers. The musicians, from different backgrounds, add their own style and talents to the colorful sounds of Brazil and Latin America.

This year, according to Kristin Mather de Andrade, who leads the group, it has reached out to some of the best musicians from Brazil itself to join the group. “They are amazing musicians,” she said, “who have played with people like Cyro Baptista, Maria Bethânia, and Anat Cohen, and have their own musical projects in New York as well.”

Joining de Andrade, who plays clarinet and sings, will be Sergio Krakowski on pandeiro, Vitor Gonçalves on accordion, Eduardo Belo on bass and Benji Kaplan on guitar.

Then, on Sept. 23, Quintette 7, a mixed sextet of three rhythm players and three horns, will pay homage to the work of Raymond Scott. Scott, who was active in the mid 20th Century, attempted to revitalize Swing music through tight, busy arrangements and reduced reliance on improvisation. He called this musical style "descriptive jazz."

It has taken years of trying to arrange schedules and obtain permissions to secure this performance, according to Al Bayers Jr., Merryall vice president. Quintette 7 is part of the West Point Band and, as an official performance, this conert is free.

Quintette 7’s name is a witty homage to the composer, incorporating elements of two of his performing ensembles’ names (The Raymond Scott Quintette and The Secret 7). Three members attended the Juilliard School, Scott’s alma mater.

Wrapping up the performance season, on Sept. 30, will be the Wykeham Consort, an ensemble of musicians fascinated by the music of the Sephardic Jews and of Renaissance Europe with concerts ranging from Sephardic romances and Spanish villancicos to the elegant poetry of French chansons and lively English country dances.

The historical and cultural context of the music, translations of texts, and explanations of the period instruments used, are included in their performances. The music is accessible and appealing to contemporary audiences because of its clarity of expression and genuine human emotion. Wykeham Consort’s performances of Sephardic and Renaissance music are filled with the same passion, anguish and delight that animate us all today.

The Merryall Center for the Arts, at 8 Chapel Hill Road, New Milford, is a non-profit organization that has been bringing entertainment, enrichment and enlightenment to the Litchfield Hills since 1951. It receives support from the New Milford Commission on the Arts and the Connecticut Community Foundation.

Performances begin at 8 p.m.; tickets (except for Quintette 7) are $20, available on line at www.MerryallCenter.org or at the door.