Zé Luis Oliveira is a Grammy nominated multi-talented musician that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and becoming friends with! His journey is amazing and we’re now working on some pretty awesome projects together!
A while back, I was invited by Zé Luis Oliveira to visit the Atelier Music Studio in LIC (Long Island City) – his music studio!
What!?!? You’ve never heard of Zé Luis? Well, you should! Let us help you out!
Zé is a renowned Brazilian composer, saxophonist, flutist, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist. His career is fantastic for he’s performed and recorded with some of the biggest names in the Brazilian music scene known worldwide like Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Cazuza, Bebel Gilberto and Tania Maria.
I recently told him that I participated in a super cool tour with Siemens, showing how they helped build our NYC and that I had gone on stage at the Carnegie Hall (empty, of course), he said, “Super cool, Fê! I’ve actually played there around 5 times!” Hahaha! How cool is that!?
He moved to NYC in 1990 and never moved back to Rio de Janeiro, his hometown. Furthermore, Zé received his Masters in Composition and Arranging from the super famous Juilliard School, in NYC.
Then, in 2013, Zé Luis started producing and recording an amazing project called Trade Winds. It’s a series of music collaborations with NYC bassist and composer Matt Geraghty, that travel along the historic triangle trade route, exploring the history and evolution of music through improvised compositions. In addition, Trade Winds builds collectives of premier musicians in coastal cities looking to reveal a common footprint of music, rhythm and culture.
In 2015, he launched The Atelier Music Studio, in Long Island City, a highly effective multipurpose workspace.
Plus, Zé wrote and produced music featured in the Cannes Film Festival, TriBeCa Film Festival and in films like Rio, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner, Monster-in-Law with Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda and A Raisin in the Sun with Sean Combs, Audra McDonald, Phylicia Rashad and Sanaa Lathan.
And still, he holds 4 Grammy nominations: 3 for Best Contemporary World Music Album and 1 for Best Latin Pop Album.
Phiuf!!! What a journey right? But, believe it or not, that’s not even 10% of what he’s actually done! You can take a look at his website below to know more!
In addition, he’s partnered up with us at Behind the Scenes NYC, so stay tuned to see how we’ll be shaking the streets of NY with him! Oh! He is also the creative mind behind the music featured on our YouTube intro video!!!! It was an honor, since he produced it exclusively for us!!!
And, if you haven’t SUBSCRIBED to our channel yet, what are ou waiting for!? So, come explore New York off the beaten path with me!
Plus, take a look to see a few pictures of secret music gig curated by us, called Sofar Sounds, where Zé Luis performed! By the end of his shows, guests were going crazy and clapping loudly!!!
Studio’s Location: 27-28 Thomson Av. Suite WS2
Follow him on:
Facebook: /TheAtelierMusicStudio
Instagram: @ZeLuisMusic
Search his Hashtag: #TheAtelierMusicStudio
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Rebecca Michelson for Sofar Sounds NYC and The Atelier Music Studio
*Last update on Feb/2020.*
Fê is our Founder & CEO! She’s Brazilian (Yup! Not a New Yorker!), but her indescribable passion and curiosity for NY makes her a New Yorker by heart. Fê worked in companies like Kimberly Clark, Quintessentially, Vogue Brazil and Iguatemi Group, and after 12 years of working for these fantastic companies, she decided to go solo and move to NYC!
She lives in Brooklyn since April of ’15 and has been tirelessly working on BTSNYC, working with huge companies on corporate projects, practicing her Arhatic Yoga meditations, finding time for gym and friends! Phiuf!
