Urban Oasis is a Seattle based group that features a broad range of musical styles drawn from elements of Brazilian Samba, Jazz, Blues, Reggae and Funk. Founding member Bryant Urban has brought some of the region’s finest players together to share their love and passion of Brasilian music. It is the diversity of the band’s musicianship that creates their dynamic sound and electrifying performances.
 
Urban Oasis’ sound is a rhythmically upbeat blend of Brazilian grooves with strong fusions from Jazz, R&B and Funk idioms. They blend these various grooves into the Brazilian songbook leaving their audiences with a musical “Urban Oasis” of sound. These musicians are very much at home within the R&B, Funk, and Jazz genres, in additional to the Brazilian musical styles of Bossa Nova, Samba, MPB, et al. Their repertoire is extensive, ranging from sensitive and soothing interpretations of classic Bossa Novas to the extreme of high-energy Brazilian Samba and MPB. Their common underlying thread remains Funk and Samba with Jazz improvisation sensibilities. More succinctly, it has been described as “Funky Samba”.
 
In the late 50’s, a group of composers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil fused Samba and Jazz, creating a new music movement called Bossa Nova.  One of the most prominent composers, Antonio Carlos Jobim, along with João Gilberto who stylized the form, crystallized their legacy with several famous recordings like Girl from Ipanema, Corcovado, Wave and Desifinado. To this day, Brazilian music continues to influence many Jazz and Pop artists alike ranging from Frank Sinatra to Sting.
 
Fast-forward to 1994; Brazilian music continues to evolve with the formation of Urban Oasis. After several years of performing together, the band decided to a self-titled CD “Urban Oasis” on Quilombo Records. They enlisted world renowned composer and musician, Jovino Santos Neto to produce the project, and recorded at Studio X and Ironwood Studios with well known engineer Reed Ruddy. In addition to production duties on the project, Jovino Santos Neto also provided delightful performances on keyboards, piano, and melodica. Their release has been met with radio support from KPLU, KBCS and KEXP.
 
Urban Oasis presents six originals on their release: Baiãndo, Carmem, Leni, Song For My Brother, White Byrd, and Por Um Beijo Seu, along with other Jobim, Djavan and Caetano Veloso compositions. The opening track, Adeus América, sets the mood for Samba with the opening strokes of the Tamborim drum and closes with a small Batucada [drum ensemble] trailing off into the distance. The final track closes out the recording with a folkloric tune called Coisa de Pele [thing of the skin] celebrating the Afro-centric influence on Brasil and Carnaval. Listen for Kiko’s cavaquinho (small Brasilian 4-string guitar) cutting through the mix.
 
Each cut navigates through a diverse range of grooves and moods, providing the listener an engaging experience with each subsequent listening. It also showcases the group’s ability to cover wide musical landscape. Not only do you experience Samba, Bossa Nova, Afoxe, Bolero, and Baião grooves, but also a Jazz Waltz, and a strong Funk track is presented.
 
The rhythm section was comprised of drummer Scott Ketron and bassist Miguel Garrido [original member] whose solid workmanship provided just the right pad for the guitarists Michael Martinez and Kiko de Freitas. Saxophonist Bryant Urban augments their sound with his playfully soulful harmonic weavings. Special guests included percussionist Jeff Busch, Brazilian guitarist and arranger Marco de Carvalho on Lígia, and Paul Martinez performs bongo on Song For My Brother.

Urban Oasis Members:
 
Bryant Urban is a vocalist/saxophonist/guitarist/harmonica player born in Trenton, NJ. Bryant graduated from Wesleyan University in Middleton, CT with a Bachelor’s in Music Performance Arts. While there, he studied jazz composition under Bill Barron and African drumming with Abraham Adzenyah. Living in New York City, Bryant performed with The Del Vikings and the Dubs. His travels have led him to Brazil on several occasions where he has recorded with the Brasilian artists Ricardo Chaves and Roberto Mendes. Now based in Seattle, WA, he has performed with Paul Green, Susan Carr, Nick Vigarino, Emerald City Blues All-Stars, Sweet Talkin’ Jones, Paixao do Brasil, Banda Voou, Canto Brasil, and Urban Oasis.

Michael Martinez is a guitarist/bassist/vocalist born in Lincoln, NE currently residing in Seattle, WA.  He initially studied music under his father Rene Martinez, a vocalist/guitarist, and band leader of Caribbean Latin group Los Tropicales. Further musical training followed with trumpet studies providing greater development in the Classical and Jazz genres. He frequently goes out to sea performing on cruise lines. Michael has performed with The Badass Brass Band, Dixieland Shuffle, The Contemporary Jazz Quintet, Pierce College Stage Band, Agean, Medusa, Glyde, The Noise, Troubled Monkey, Ready Made Family, Roger Filgo, Lonnie Williams, Sam Chamblis, Frank Steele, Slamm, Banda Voou, The Rhythm Kings, Bossa Nova Trio, Brian Nova Orchestra, Javier Anderson, Jane Powell and Urban Oasis.

Kiko de Freitas is an international renowned musician from Sao Paulo, Brazil currently residing in Redmond, WA. Although primarily a guitarist/vocalist, he is an equally accomplished on bass, cavaquinho, and percussion whose career began as a video/theatre recording artist in Brasil. He went on to tour abroad in Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, and Brazil with Som Brazuca, Ornella Vannoni, Mario Dolci, Stephano Fiori, and Passarim. In the Seattle region he has performed with Samia Pani, Beija Flora, Banda Voou, Susan Carr, Paula b.n. Maya, Canto Brasil, Bossa Trio, and Urban Oasis. 

Scott Ketron is a drummer/percussionist/vibraphonist hailing from Helena, MT, and is now settled in Renton, WA. He holds a Masters of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from Central Washington University and is a Program Director at Musicworks Northwest. His skills are deeply developed in Brasilian music; however his drumming mastery lends itself to other styles ranging from Swing to Klezmer. He has toured throughout North America, Japan and maintains live performance and studio recording engagements with other artists and projects as drummer, vibraphonist and marimba mallet player. Scott has performed with the Savoy Swing Band, The Happy Hammers, Susan Carr, Samia Pani, Beija Flora, Jovino Santos Neto Quarteto, the Northwest Chamber Winds, the Spokane Symphony and Urban Oasis.

Rick Houle is a bassist/guitarist born in northern Minnesota, and now currently residing in Seattle, WA. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduation, he toured with a Country-Rock group that was offered a recording contract with Merle Haggard Productions. Rick has performed in the Midwest with Eric Gravatt (Weather Report), Bobby Peterson (Buddy Rich), Bob Rockwell, Dick Oatts, Ricky Peterson (David Sanborn), Rocky Robbins, Gordy Knudtson (Steve Miller), Paul Peterson (Donny and Marie Show), Jeanne Peterson, Bill Berg, and Dave Karr. Relocating to Seattle he has worked with Jay Thomas, Marc Seales, Don Lanphere, Moyse Lucas (Diana Ross), Dave Peterson, Rich Dangel, Hans Teuber, Jim Coile, Jovino Santos Neto, John Bishop, Nick Manson, Denny Goodhew, Darren Motamedy, John Hansen, Marco de Carvalho, Willie and Lobo, Ernestine Anderson and Urban Oasis.