Ceasar Camargo
A product of his own instincts, tenacity, and raw talent, Cesar Camargo Mariano today is one of the most renowned instrumental artists to come out of his home country, Brazil. Cesar quickly became famous for his ability to "swing," and for his now legendary left hand. Throughout his extensive career as musical director, Cesar has written, conducted, arranged, produced and post-produced records for such names as Ivan Lins, Milton Nascimento, Joao Bosco, Tom Jobim, Gal Costa, Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, Nana Caymmi, Leny Andrade, Djavan, Jorge Benjor, Wilson Simonal, Simone, Armando Manzanero, Sadao Watanabe, and Leila Pinheiro, among others. Cesar has performed at the most prestigious jazz festivals around the world, such as the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Free Jazz Festival, and the Heineken Jazz Festival, having as his guests many outstanding artists including Milton Nascimento, Michael Brecker, Dianne Reeves, John Patittuci, Ivan Lins, Romero Lubambo, and Joao Bosco.

But it was Cesar's professional collaboration with the late singer Elis Regina, arguably one of the most important names in the history of Brazilian music, that established him as a much admired and respected arranger (i.e., "Elis & Tom"), not only in his own country, but around the world. Cesar has also established himself as a composer, having been recorded by Clare Fischer, Milton Nascimento & Herbie Hancock, Ettore Stratta & The Royal Philharmonic, Paula Robinson, Sadao Watanabe, Simone, Tania Libertad, and others.

As a writer/producer of movie soundtracks and commercial music for both television and advertising, Cesar has won various "Clio" awards (the "Oscar" of advertising) for brands such as Chevrolet, Nestle, Pan-Am and Coca-Cola. As a solo artist with many appearances and recordings to his name, Cesar has elevated his artistry to yet another plane, amply demonstrated in his 32 albums, among them, "SAMAMBAIA", "NATURAL" and "SOLO BRASILEIRO".

Romero Lubambo
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1955, Romero Lubambo studied classical piano and music theory as a young boy. From the time he played his first notes on the guitar at age thirteen, he devoted himself to that instrument. Lubambo
graduated from the Villa-Lobos School of Music in Rio in 1978, an outstanding student of classical guitar; and, in 1980, received a degree in mechanical engineering from the Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de
Janeiro.

The rhythms and melodies defining Brazilian music and American jazz fascinated Lubambo. He taught himself through intense research and practice, developing exceptional skill, versatility and fluency in both jazz and
Brazilian idioms. In 1985 he left Brazil for New York, where he became very much in demand not only for his authentic Brazilian sound, but also for his command of a variety of styles. Lubambo has performed and recorded with many outstanding artists, including Dianne Reeves, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Brecker, Kathleen Battle, Herbie Mann, Ivan Lins, Flora Purim and Airto, Paquito D'Rivera, Harry Belafonte, Grover Washington, Jr., Leny Andrade and Cesar Camargo Mariano.

He has also established himself as a composer and performer on his own critically acclaimed recording projects as well as on those of Trio Da Paz, a Brazilian jazz trio Lubambo formed with Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca. Romero Lubambo is considered by critics to be "the best practitioner of his craft in the world today ... the guitarist's facility, creativity and energy are in a class all their own." Cesar Camargo Mariano