Luciana Souza

Who is Luciana Souza?

Luciana Souza is a Brazilian jazz singer and composer who has crossed over into classical music.

Daughter of poet Tereza Souza and singer-composer-guitarist Walter Santos, she grew up in São Paulo. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston from which she received a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Composition in 1988. She then received a Master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1992. She has taught at Berklee College of Music in Boston and at The Manhattan School of Music, in New York.

She began her career at the age of three by recording jingles for commercials. She has also worked in the field of European classical music, working with the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, composer Osvaldo Golijov, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the New York Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. She has worked with New Music composers Derek Bermel and Patrick Zimmerli. She has worked in Chamber Music with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Luciana Souza has been nominated six times for a Grammy Award as best jazz vocalist. She has appeared and recorded with both renowned jazz musicians and composers of new music, including Danilo Perez, Hermeto Pascoal, Romero Lubambo, Maria Schneider, Kenny Werner, John Patitucci, Herbie Hancock, and Osvaldo Golijov. Luciana Souza has worked and recorded with Paul Simon and James Taylor.