Laura Dreyer Quartet

Saxophonist and flutist Laura Dreyer brings her deep-rooted passion for Brazilian jazz to Mr. Tipple's, leading a quartet that bridges American jazz sophistication with the rhythmic richness of Brazilian music. Dreyer has spent over two decades exploring the intersection of these traditions, performing with Brazilian legends like Dom Salvador, Antonio Adolfo, and Portinho, and her work on Salvador's The Art of Samba Jazz earned a Premio da Musica Brasileira award for Best Instrumental CD.

Expect to hear Dreyer's original compositions—catchy, lyrical melodies woven through samba, bossa nova, baião, maracatu, and partido alto rhythms—alongside Brazilian jazz classics. Her playing is fluid and lyrical, whether she's on alto or soprano sax or flute, and she's known for her ability to reshape tradition with a modern jazz sensibility. Her latest album Água e Sol showcases this duality—rooted in Brazilian authenticity yet forward-looking in its improvisational depth.

Joining Dreyer is Grammy-nominated pianist Marcos Silva, whose distinctive melodic jazz-fusion style is infused with Brazilian harmonics. Silva has performed worldwide with Paquito D'Rivera, Bud Shank, and Flora Purim & Airto Moreira, serving as their musical director for 23 years, and he currently heads the Brazilian Music Department at the California Jazz Conservatory. On bass is Richard Lindsey, and on drums is Kelly Fasman, a veteran with over 40 years of experience performing with artists ranging from Andrea Bocelli to Joan Baez.

Dreyer's music balances the positivity and infectious energy of Brazilian styles with the improvisational freedom of American jazz. Her arrangements are precise yet relaxing, with a rhythmic drive that invites both close listening and movement. Whether it's the sprightly groove of a samba or the contemplative space of a bossa nova, this is music that captures both the warmth of Rio and the edge of New York.