GAIA WILMER LARGE ENSEMBLE FEATURING MÔNICA SALMASO

DIZZY'S / SEPTEMBER 11-13

Saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor Gaia Wilmer celebrates Parabólica: Reflections on Gilberto Gil, Volume I (2026, Sunnyside), her new large-ensemble exploration of the Brazilian master’s songbook. Gaia selected the repertoire with featured vocalist Mônica Salmaso, whose expressive phrasing and rhythmic assurance place Gil’s words at the center of the project. The arrangements recast familiar songs through expansive horn writing, layered Brazilian rhythms, and the flexibility of a contemporary jazz orchestra. Rather than imitate the original recordings, Gaia treats Gil’s music as living material – open to new colors, countermelodies, and improvisational paths. With Mônica adding voice and percussion, the Dizzy’s engagement serves as both an album celebration and a cross-cultural conversation about one of Brazil’s most influential musical voices. CR