A native of São Paulo, Téka mastered the traditions of Brazilian music at an early age. Along the way, she became equally entranced by American jazz. As her artistry grew, her talented singing and guitar playing fused the sensual rhythms and harmonies of Brazil with the sophistication and improvisation of jazz – a fascinating musical blend she calls New Bossa.
Téka has performed and recorded with Brazilian legends Hermeto Pascoal , Gilberto Gil, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira.
Her first CD, Garden Planet, included original music with an environmental theme. Both Garden Planet and her second release, Watercolours of Brazil, received high praise from critics and audiences.
Reviewing those first two albums, The Los Angeles Times wrote that, “Like João Gilberto, Téka brings everything into a unified expression, combining her vocal lines and rhythmic guitar accompaniments into a single, elegantly buoyant musical blend.”
Her latest release, So Many Stars, was described by the International Review of Music as “a definitive statement that she has matured into a gifted, world-class musical artist. Téka has a summer evening breeze quality to her voice always. She is as smoooooooooooth as bossa nova can be and that is very smooth indeed.” Téka will appear at Word of South as part of the Tribute to the Women in Jazz on Sunday at the Florida Jazz & Blues/Marriott AC Ballroom stage.