Amanda Brecker - Brazilian Passion (2009)

Amanda Brecker was born into a very musical family. She is the daughter of Brazilian pianist/singer Eliane Elias, and the trumpeter Randy Brecker, two very prominent artists on the Jazz scene. Eliane Elias and Randy Brecker recorded their first album together in 1984 and named it "AMANDA" after the birth of their daughter.

During her years at Bucknell University (2002-2006) where she double majored in French and Spanish and minored in Music, Amanda sang in a a co-ed A Cappella group, "Two Past Midnight," and took part in a hip-hop/funk/soul band, "Flowdown Street Six," as the lead singer and keyboardist. With Flowdown, she recorded an album during her senior year, and performed live throughout her years at Bucknell.

Following her undergraduate studies, she went on to receive her Masters in French Studies at NYU in 2007. During this year, she signed with "Birds Records" and recorded her album in March 2008. Her song "Novo Lugar" (featuring solos by Eliane Elias & Randy Brecker) has been placed as the theme song in a Japanese Television Series, "Giants of Beauty."

Amanda performed at the Ginza International Jazz Festval in Tokyo and at the Billboard Club in Osaka in November 2008. She received the “Best New Talent Award 2008″ by Swing Journal, Japan. Her second album, "Brazilian Passion," was released in Japan on June 16, 2009. This album is a blend of Brazilian and American music, which represents Amanda's background. "Brazilian Passion" has already been awarded the Gold Disc Award for the June issue of Swing Journal.

All in all, a great star with a very beautiful voice rising on the horizon with so much future in the music industry; very recommendable album by all means.