Trio Zona Sul

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Trio Zona Sul combines the energy of Brazilian music with the intimacy of a jazz trio.”

Jose Luis Oliveira, a Rio de Janeiro born artist that goes by “Zé Luis”, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer with credits on more than 260 recordings, including albums, film soundtracks and commercials.

“Zé”,  has performed at hundreds of corporate and private events including gallery openings, restaurant openings, weddings, parties, retail showcases, and government functions.

His small ensemble, “Trio Zona Sul”, has been praised for combining the energy of Brazilian music with the intimacy of a jazz trio.  Its instrumentation of Ze’s flute and saxophone, guitar, and percussion – a clever choice for private events – allows for a multitude of musical directions within a small format.

Recent events

• Private parties at Boom Restaurant in Soho, and the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center.
• Solo performance on tenor saxophone for an intimate dinner at the New York City residence of the General Consul of Brazil.

About Zé Luis:

In his homeland of Brazil, during the eighties, he was a member of Caetano Veloso’s band for seven years. During this period, Zé played and recorded widely with top Brazilian artists, including work with icon Gilberto Gil on the original score of director Carlos Diegues’ film Subway to the Stars; the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes and was the Brazilian entry at the Academy Awards in 1987.

Since his move to New York City in 1990, Zé Luis has studied composition and contemporary music with Stanley Wolfe at the Juilliard School, and served as Musical Director of Bebel Gilberto’s band.  He worked on her first album, Tanto Tempo (Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees)—the most successful Brazilian release in the U.S. since the Sergio Mendes era. Zé and Bebel continue to collaborate and play together, right up to her recent album, All In One (Verve), nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album, on which Zé is credited as a flautist and arranger.

Credits:

As a leader:

• The self-titled Zé Luis EP and two albums of his compositions, Guarani Banana and Caiapó.
•  Contributed four songs to the ecology-themed Green Heart compilation. Highly acclaimed in the
• 2012: The much-anticipated album “The Birth of… Sambismo” is a 21st-century blend of Brazilian idioms and modern genres that features many of his compositions sung by a new generation of Brazilian stars.

As an arranger/producer:

• Ivy – “Christmastime Is Here”, from the compilation Maybe This Christmas Tree (Nettwerk), and Ivy’s album In The Clear (Nettwerk).  Also licensed for the “Monster-in-Law” soundtrack
• Psychosamba (Tratore), with Johann Heyss
• Don’t Whisper Lies (Wax Divine), with Astaire/Blondfire
• Find the Love, with Aisha Mike
• Sunshine After Midnight with noted guitarist JJ Sansaverino.

Soundtracks/licensing:

• 2005 : Composed and produced the soundtrack for the documentary “En Route to Baghdad” directed by Simone Duarte. (Silver medal by the United Nations Correspondents Association)
• 2008: Licensed music for the TV movie “A Raisin in the Sun”, produced by and featuring P. Diddy, which was nominated for a Golden Globe award,
• 2011: Co-produced and arranged with Bebel Gilberto the song “Samba de Orly” for the movie “Rio” and its soundtrack album
• 2012: Composed, arranged, produced and performed the original soundtrack of the short movie “Os Lados da Rua” (Beyond the Streets) directed by Diego Zon, selected by the Cannes Film Festival.

Ze and Ricardo of “Trio Zona Sul”.

Ze with Bebel Gilberto