It was standing room only at Daniela Soledade’s Amazon Soul. Or, more correctly, dancing room only. The show started at 8pm but by 7:30pm all the seats were taken. Staff brought out more chairs, but it was clear that there were not going to be enough.
The location was the lovely Bayboro Brewing. With the opening of its music hall, The North Room, the venue has as recently emerged as a new hot spot for live music in St. Petersburg. The world map of exposed brick, the barrels on the walls, and the excellent sound system all make for the perfect place to take in nearly three hours of non-stop musical fun. (Note this is where WMNF is hold its Fam Jam.)
Daniela Soledade, known as Tampa Bay’s “Bossa Nova Queen”, delivered way more than the chill grooves you might expect – “Amazon Soul” was a full-on party.
The upbeat yet relaxed tone was set from the very first minute of the show as an extended groovy beat was played and Soledade and the rest of the band danced through the crowd to take the stage.
Beaming, Soledade began singing and dancing barefoot on the carpeted stage. There is something so liberating about watching a carefree doing their thing barefoot. (Like recent WMNF performer Keller Williams).
Soledade was joined longtime producer, arranger and guitarist (an occasional percussionist) Nate Najar as well Patrick Bettison on keyboards and harmonica, Joe Porter on the bass, Carl Amundson on electric guitar.
Rounding out the group was legendary Brazilian drummer Claudio Infante, who came from Brazil to play with Soledad, as documented by our friends at Creative Loafing. Instead of light cocktail bossa nova to hum along too to, Infante’s booming, tight rhythms provided energy to get people up and dancing with their hands in the air.
For the first few songs the crowd was surprisingly chatty, which a few fans complained about. This was not the reserved atmosphere of the Palladium. People were having a good time, swaying, and couples were dancing.
The night was packed with surprises. In complete departure from samba, the audience was treated to a rockin’ medley of George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) and Lenny Kravitz’ “It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over” connected by a killer sax solo by guest Butch Thomas.
And the changes kept coming. Soledade introduced a musician, Noah, that she had heard playing guitar and fallen in love with. While Noah played , Soledade and the audience sang.
The show contained Soledad originals as well as Brazilian standards, which more often than not turned into a call and response with the crowd nearly matching the PA system for volume. More than once I felt like I was the only one in the building that didn’t know the words (which was OK).
Throughout the evening Najar was wearing a black shirt with white block letters that said “PARIS LONDON TOKYO ST. PETE”. Soledade described how although born and raised in Rio de Janeir but moved to St. Petersburg 6 years ago. Saying she has fallen so in love with the city that she recently wrote St. Pete Samba. (watch home recording of below) Let’s hope it becomes a concert standard or the official Song of the City.
Daniela Soledade has direct lineage to the founding of bossa nova. Her grandfather, Paulo Soledade composed popular song with renowned Bossa Nova founders Antônio Carlos Jobim, Baden Powell, and others. She performed his song “Circo da Vida (Circus of Life)” for the crowd. Studio version here.
The show concluded with a thundering encore with Najar wailing on electric(!) guitar, Thomas on Sax, the keyboardist on harmonica, Infante’s pumping drums, and ecstatic cheering and dancing on the floor. Followed by chants of “one more encore, one more encore”.
After, while fans milled around to get pictures with Soledade and wait for her to autograph the vinyl records and other merch that they purchased, concert goers extended Daniela Soledade’s Amazon Soul with laughing, singing, and dancing of their own.
Soledad has an album set to drop this spring called “Deco Tropical”. You can find out more at https://danielasoledade.com/
Nate Bonilla-Warford is one half of the The Morning Show Friday and curates WMNF Song of the Day. You can reach him at [email protected].
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