Brazilian experimental/samba/electro-acoustic trio Kassin +2 (or The +2’s, for those in the know) will be hitting American soil for the first time since 2005 in December, playing gigs from New York to L.A. and everywhere in between.
The dates support The +2’s new Luaka Bop abum Futurismo, the follow-up to 2004’s Sincerely Hot. Futurismo features collaborations with Sean O’Hagan (High Llamas) who co-wrote and contributed vocals to “Ya Ya Ya” and “Back Bow,” and instrumentation and production from John McEntire (Tortoise) on “Lakeline.”
Futurismo, the final installment in the +2 trilogy, offers a more classic sound than some of The +2’s previous work, with a mix of samba, garage rock and bolero — it might be a bit of a surprise for some +2 fans because of the reputation of Alexandre Kassin (bass/guitar/vocals/keys/production), the leader of Brazil’s musical avant-garde. Kassin said the record is representative of his tastes and his world. “When I make an album, I want it to be able to sit happily inside my record collection.”
The +2’s will kick off their tour in New York, where they will also play two dates as part of Red Hot + Rio 2: The Next Generation of Samba Soul at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on December 4 and 5. The event is an all-star benefit tribute to the music and culture of Brazil, featuring Samba Soul — the post-tropicalia movement of the 1970s that merged elements of soul music with Brazilian rhythms. A portion of the proceeds from the shows will benefit Brazil Foundation’s AIDS-related projects.
12.02.08 – New York (Nu Blu)
12.04.08 – New York (Brooklyn Academy of Music – Red Hot and Rio 2)
12.05.08 – New York (Brooklyn Academy of Music – Red Hot and Rio 2)
12.07.08 – Boston (Museum of Fine Arts) 

12.09.08 – San Francisco (Yoshi’s)
12.10.08 – Los Angeles (Hotel Café)
12.11.08 – Minneapolis (Cedar Cultural Center)

12.12.08 – Detroit (Detroit Institute of Arts)

12.13.08 – Chicago (Old Town School of Folk)
