Léa Freire
flutes

Léa has played with many Brazilian musicians and singers, such as Alaide Costa, Nana Caymmi, Filo Machado, Nelson Ayres, Arismar do Espirito Santo, Elton Medeiros, Mozar Terra, Eduardo Gudin, Luis Carlos Borges, Nico Assumpçao, Guilherme Vergueiro, Bocato, Michel Freidenson, Edson Alves, Hermeto Pascoal, Joyce, Arrigo Barnabe, Itibere Zwarg, Cauby Peixoto, and others, at recording sections and shows.

Her first CD, “Ninhal” (meaning the collective of birds nests), is still very well received by public and critic and some of the songs, specially 'Vatapa' have been recorded already in Japan, German, Italy, USA and by various artists in Brazil.

Fully recognized as a very creative composer, some of her pieces are now being played by flutists in concerts in Europe and USA. In Sept 98 she played at Miami University and the Blue Note in NY, as a special guest of Teco Cardoso, and recorded her second album - “Quinteto”, featuring her duo with sax and flute player Teco Cardoso, released in 99.

In 2005 released two albuns with trombonist Bocato 'Brazilian Song Anthology vol.1 and vol.2 featuring the most beautiful balads of Brazilian composers such as Nelson Cavaquinho, Ary Barroso, Tom Jobim, Lupicinio Rodrigues and others. This album was extremely well received by critics and public and the vol.2 is highly expected for the second semester.

Touring in Europe in 2006, she co-produced with pianist Thomas Clausen an CD - “Waterbikes” that is being released in Danmark and Brazil, featuring Lea's an Thomas's compositions, with Teco Cardoso, Fernando Demarco (bass) and Afonso Correa (drums and percussion).

As a producer of Brazilian Contemporary Instrumental Music through Maritaca (www.maritaca.art.br) - her label company - she has produced more than thirty CDs featuring names like Arismar do Espirito Santo, Filo Machado, Bocato, Vinicius Dorin, Thiago Espirito Santo, Silvia Goes, Tibo Delor, Edu Ribeiro, Mane Silveira, Teco Cardoso, Guello, Naylor “Proveta” Azevedo, Laercio de Freitas, Heloisa Fernandes and many others.

LEA FREIRE's “Cartas Brasileiras” (Brazilian Letters - 2007) is receiving the enthusiastic applause of either public and critic, in many languages. Its music is the confluence of the three main musical forces that coexist in Brazil today : African, European and Native Indian. “Vento em Madeira”, the first track of this album, is a beautifull combination of these influences. With an invited orquestra adding to 62 (sixty two) musicians, it is a colossal production of her label Maritaca, specialized in the best Brazilian Instrumental Music.