Maracujaz (available as a duo, trio, or quartet, with or without vocals)  includes some of Chicago’s finest jazz musicians and has played at some of the top events and venues in the Chicago area, including the WDCB Jazz Thaw, Windy City RibFest, the Crystal Ballroom, Brasil Fest Chicago, the Uncork Illinois Wine Festival in Oak Park, Labriola, and Tuscany with special guests like Neal Alger, Luciano Antonio, Neusa Sauer, and Geraldo de Oliveira.

Vocalist Neusa Sauer, best known for her work with Som Brasil, one of the most popular Latin bands to make a name for itself in the Windy City, and appearances at the Chicago Jazz Festival and the Jazz Showcase, continues to cast a musical spell as only the finest practitioners of Brazilian music can.

Vocalist Leanne Araya took Master classes with Bobby McFerrin  and produced and performed on the Oprah show, at the Lincoln Center, and with the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra.  

Vocalist-bassist/pianist Jo Raymond has performed with Arturo Martinez, Otis Day, Luciano Antonio, Chicago Samba and members of They Might Be Giants and Lisa Loeb’s Nine Lives and composed the music for the film, “A Batalha dos Anjos Malditos.”    

SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMERS

Hailing from Parana, Brazil, guitarist/vocalist Luciano Antonio has opened for Brazilian greats such as Caetano Veloso and Vinicius Cantuaria and has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Jazz Showcase, the Old Town School of Folk Music, and the Taste of Chicago, as well as performances in Japan and Italy.

Guitarist Neal Alger has shared the stage with Clark Terry, Tito Puente, Claudio Roditi, and Jon Faddis and has performed or recorded with Lin Halliday, Howard Levy, Grazyna Augusick, Leslie Gore, Ed Thigpen, and Patricia Barber.

Grammy Award-winning Guitarist Dave Onderdonk has given concerts in Europe, South America and throughout the United States and has worked in various jazz clubs around the city including Andy’s, The Green Mill, and The Jazz Showcase.   He has appeared on recordings with Pharoah Sanders, Mavis Staples, and Cassandra Wilson and currently teaches for the Interlochen Summer Arts program.  

Chicago guitarist, Geordie Kelly, has been described as a first-class, gifted guitarist and composer. He has been privileged to share the stage with artists such as Larry Coryell, Maureen McGovern, Frank Mantooth, Bob Bowman, Ritchie Cole, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Virginia Symphony Orchestra, The Turtle Island String Quartet, and Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln City Jazz Orchestra.

John Beard studied jazz guitar at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Having subsequently relocated to Chicago, he became involved with the vibrant music scene here, playing with Josh Abrams, Swing Brasileiro, Grant Ziolkowski Trio, Bloco Maximo, Linda Solotaire, Evanston Escola de Samba, and Planeta Azul. at venues such as the Green Mill, Hothouse, and Jazz Showcase.  

Born and raised in Tokyo, Chicago-based jazz pianist Hana Fujisaki was a regular awardee of regional competitions, including Yamaha Music Tokyo Junior Electone Festival Yokohama competition She attended jazz camp at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and received her Master of Music degree at Northwestern University, where she studied under Jeremy Kahn, Joe Clark and Victor Goines. She has played at major venues in Chicago including the Jazz Showcase, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Andy’s Jazz Club, the House of Blues, Reggies Rock Club, the Cubby Bear, Logan Square Auditorium and Hard Rock Cafe. She is an awardee of People’s Choice at Luminarts jazz competition, chosen from over one hundred and fifty musicians in Chicago.