The Polka Nova project was created in London in 2011 by Rafael Valim, a guitarist from São Paulo, Brazil, and Sylvia Hoffmann, a Polish-born Londoner with heavy Brazilian influences, to explore the intriguing musical romance between Europe and Brazil, and the rest of Latin American countries. 

 

Polka Nova play a quality mix of Brazilian samba grooves and swingy bossa nova melodies, Latin rhythms and jazz standards. Polka Nova’s repertoire includes compositions by many highly acclaimed Brazilian composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Baden Powell, Vinicius de Moraes, Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho and Noel Rosa, to name just a few. Non-Brazilian set list boasts songs from the Great American Songbook, as well as hidden jewels of Cuban and World music. The songs are in English, Portuguese, Spanish and even Polish! A typical set list might include songs such as: Wave, One Note Samba, Corcovado, Mas que nada, Chega de Saudade (No More Blues), My favourite things, Besame mucho and many more.

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Polka Nova provide quality entertainment at venues, private and corporate events, wine tasting sessions, cocktails, birthday parties and so on. Regular residencies in the past have included a number of popular venues in London such as Number 1 Bar & Restaurant in London Bridge, Rincon Bar Espanol in Richmond, and many others.

 

Polka Nova have also played at the Brazilian Embassy in London, at Brazil Day on Trafalgar Square with an authentic Brazilian project Roda de Samba Amigos de Londres (August 2015),  at the Herne Hill Music Festival (2015), and were the highlight of Brazilian Cultural Festival in Warsaw (June 2017).