Bossa Nova is a rhythmic Brazilian style of music that derived from Samba in the late 60s and early 70s. The style is often associated with jazz, but in the mid-60s it was brought firmly into the realm of pop music by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66, who evolved it further by applying bossa rhythms to popular hit songs of the time performed by other Brazilian artists, as well as by Dusty Springfield, Simon & Garfunkle and the Beatles.

Now Sambatico brings back a taste of Brazil with many of the songs made famous by Mendes, as well as by applying his formula to their own pop choices. Their repertoire includes Brasil 66 hits such as Mas Que Nada, Fool on the Hill, Look of Love and Scarborough Fair, as well as classic bossa nova hits like Girl from Ipanema and Desifinado to their own "bossafied" versions of popular songs from the 60s and beyond. Lead by the smooth, rich voice Ms. Summer Kwai, the music of Sambatico will have you swaying to gentle breezes, even in the coldest of Chicago weather. She is backed by a bevy of talented musicians who round out the band's "braza" sound. Members of Sambatico have performed with well-known classical orchestras, such as Civic Orchestra of Chicago, local jazz ensembles, and Latin groups like Grupo ChaCha and Samana.

The band also has the ability to offer classic jazz music from the Great American Songbook—from Cole Porter to Ella Fitzgerald—to provide a full and varied evening of music. From black-tie affair to niteclub, street dance to park concert, Sambatico will bring the white beaches of Brazil to your next event.

Click below to listen to music samples: To download, you may need to right click on the selection, choose "save target as" or "save link as," Save, then Open to listen.