Laughing Buddha Music is thrilled to announce the release of Asa Branca, a new CD by Dois no Choro, which is comprised of Paulinho Garcia, guitar and vocals, and Julie Koidin on flute. The duo is joined by guests Linda Binder, mandolin, Julien Labro, accordion & bandoneon, and Heitor Garcia, percussion. The CD, which was partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, features songs by a number of well-known Brazilian composers, incuding Jacob do Bandolim, Chico Buarque, and Pixinguinha, as well as the Spanish composer Juan Manuel Serrat and Argentina’s great Astor Piazzolla.

 Paulinho Garcia was named “Best Jazz Entertainer” for 2001 by Chicago Music Awards and his CD “Homage” chosen best vocal CD in Japan 2002. He has performed throughout the U.S., Asia, Latin America and Europe with appearances at the Singapore Jazz Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Fujitsu Concord Jazz Festival in Japan and the Bangkok Jazz Festival.

 Julie Koidin performs both classical and Brazilian genres throughout the U.S. and Brazil and has appeared  with legendary choro flutists Altamiro Carrilho, Andrea Ernest Dias, and Carlos Poyares. Some of her appearances include Chicago radio's “Live from WFMT”, the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series, National Flute Association's Convention,  programs at the Chicago Cultural Center and for the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia. Julie was the only American invited to perform with Altamiro Carrilho at Teatro Municipal in São Paulo in a gala concert celebrating his career

 Laughing Buddha Music is donating 10% of its proceeds from this CD to the Dreams Can Be Foundation for the support of the Instituto Reciclarte Program, which offers at-risk children music and academic training with the goal of getting them off the streets and into college.