Biography

BR6 has a story that is similar to that of other Brazilian vocal groups: singer-friends who know other singers and get together to make a vocal group. Unlike so many others who did it with voice and guitar, the group (six musicians and arrangers with elaborate musical schooling) picked the most difficult way of making vocal music: without any instruments. The group was influenced by the history of various generations of Brazilian vocal groups and by the first recording of the group Take 6, at the beginning of the 90s, a recording that changed the direction of international vocal music. Crismarie Hackenberg (mezzo), Deco Fiori (tenor), Augusto Ordine (baritone), Marcelo Caldi (tenor), Simô (bass) and Naife Simões (Vocal Percussion) go after two dreams: fomenting the creation of the market for Brazilian a cappella music and paying homage to Brazilian national vocal music with their talent and creativity. On this same road, BR6 sums up the efforts of many groups, but stands out as pioneer in the art of making music without instruments, opening the way for new generations that most certainly will come.

Their debut CD, “Música Popular Brasileira A Cappella”, a work comprised of a selection of pearls mined from the Brazilian repertoire and presented a cappella, won a CARA award for the best CD of 2005 in the Folk/World Album category from CASA (The Contemporary A Cappella Society). “Here To Stay: Gershwin & Jobim” is their first album in English and the debut release for the group in the US. Comprised of familiar standards by George Gershwin and Tom Jobim and recorded with no instruments other than voices, “Here To Stay: Gershwin & Jobim” was produced and arranged entirely by the group members.

The album was released in June 2007 in the US, Canada and Brazil, and in April 2008 it won The Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards for Best Jazz Album category. "Here To Stay" has also won a RARB (The Recorded A Cappella Review Board) Pick Of The Year for best a cappella album.