While Neal Alger has spent many years in Chicago performing straight-ahead jazz with various local luminaries (Patricia Barber, Don Stiernberg, George Fludas, etc.), his current musical appetite is whetted by Brazilian music in its myriad forms. Neal has had the privilege of sharing the stage with Brazilian stars such as trumpeter Claudio Roditi, choro trombonist Fred Dantas, and bossa nova singer Leny Andrade. To further uncover the secrets of this music, Alger has studied under guitarists Romero Lubambo and Rogerio Souza. When not performing, Neal maintains teaching commitments at Roosevelt University and Elmhurst College and holds future plans of releasing a Brazilian music “fakebook” containing transcriptions of obscure compositions.