Brazilian guitar master Yamandu Costa
The 38th season of the Omni Foundation’s Dynamite Guitar series has opened with a blast of brilliance from Brazil. Last week, Rio-born, New York-based Romero Lubambo, the greatest Brazilian guitarist living in the United States, opened the 2018-19 season with a duo concert featuring guitar star Sharon Isbin.
This week’s concert showcases Yamandu Costa, a seven-string wizard who recently won the 2018 best instrumental album Brazil Music Award for “Quebranto” (Biscoito Fino), his collaboration with fellow Brazilian seven-string virtuoso Alessandro Penezzi. Also an award-winning composer, Costa is known for writing exquisite melodies set to intricate rhythms requiring techniques beyond the classical guitar idiom.
At 38, the Rio-based Costa is part of a generation of tradition-steeped but highly versatile musicians breathing new life into various Brazilian styles. Recognized as a major new voice since his late teens, he’s recorded with giants of Brazilian music. For Tuesday’s concert, Costa is joined by his longtime musical partner, bassist Guto Wirtti. They present the rhythmically charged program “Homage to Brazilian Dances,” which draws on Costa’s love of zydeco-like forró, choro and samba. The Omni Foundation’s scrupulous attention to Brazilian guitar masters continues next year with the Feb. 9 performance by the preeminent classical duo of brothers Sergio and Odair Assad.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; Herbst Theatre, San Francisco; $40-$60; 415-242-4500, omniconcerts. com/concerts.