Our choice for Brazil Club’s ‘Person of The Year’ is Paulinho Garcia. Indeed, for the decades he’s lived in Chicago, Garcia has been a musical constant in a city known worldwide for musical excellence.

But even by his usual high standards, 2010 turned out to be a memorable year for the Brazilian. A January show at the Jazz Showcase (with fellow ‘Two For Brazil’ member saxophonist Greg Fishman), public performances at Millennium Park and the Chicago Jazz Fest, plus his debut at the Auditorium Theater and his December tribute to legendary Brazilian songwriter Noel Rosa are among the highlights – in this country. Add in a handful of passport stamps for Poland and Russia and it made for a pretty busy year.

Paulinho Garcia’s role in our Brazilian American community is more than symbolic: He uses his craft to illustrate, educate and entertain in ways that cross over the borders of language, culture, attitude and geography. And in doing so, he helps to celebrate our commonalities, as shared through music.

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Honorable mention for our ‘Person of the Year’ goes to Isolda Furbino, who before closing the doors on her Casa Brasil shop in Long Grove last fall, set a high standard for Brazilian stores nationwide by virtue of her creativity, intuition and artistic cultural vision. Casa Brasil’s loss was our community’s loss as well, and we hope to see Isolda return with new ideas for us to enjoy again sometime soon.

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For more on Paulinho Garcia and the Chicago Tribune’s take, please continue here.

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