After four years developing a devoted international fan base from monthly concerts at Bossa Bistro in Washington, D.C.’s eclectic Adams Morgan neighborhood, Brazilian vocalist Cissa Paz launches her self-titled debut CD in mid-September, 2015. The captivating artist offers an intriguing compilation of tunes on the new album, celebrating the sounds of the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) Diaspora. While nearly all tunes are sung in Portuguese, Paz is also fluent in the international languages of melody, rhythm, and groove. Like throngs of fans crowding her monthly D.C. gig, listeners will feel compelled to move to the arresting beat. Born Ana Cecilia Rocha in Belgium and raised in Brazil, the singer was given her first guitar by her father at age 10. Initially influenced by samba, afoxé, forró, maracatu and other popular Brazilian styles, she moved to the U.S. in her late teens, and there she fell in love with R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop. As an adult, she was led by an innate honing instinct back to the music of Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Cape Verde and Angola, where many distinctive African influences enrich the mix. While intellectual analysis of those styles can be daunting, the listening experience is quite pleasurable. Paz amassed a strong international team on the disc. Featured artists include Nicolas Krassik on violin, Davi Vieira on vocals and percussion, and voices of the traditional jongo group Jongo da Serrinha. Also on the album are Patrick Ângello on 7-string guitar, Rodrigo Ferrera on Bass, Pedro Costa on Electric Guitar, Paulinho Criança on Drums, Anderson Vilmar on Percussion, Carol D’Ávila and Alexandre Flauta on Wind Instruments. The producer is J.P. Silva, former music director for iconic Brazilian singer Elza Soares, plays 7-string guitar, Bandolin and Cavaco on the album.