Vocalist/linguist Sandy Tsukiyama de Oliveira and her group, Jazz Braz, present musical offerings from Brazil spanning the Bossa Nova craze of the '60s through the '80s in a concert titled "Remembering Rio" at 7:30 tonight in Hawaii Public Radio's Atherton Performing Arts Studio.

The repertoire will include works by Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell and Jorge Bem, the composers who inspired Tsukiyama de Oliveira to embark on a musical quest to Rio de Janeiro. Composers Carlos Lyra and J›ao Bosco were personal friends whose music became part of her life during the three years she became immersed in the vibrant musical culture.

A Honolulu native, Tsukiyama de Oliveira grew up in a musical household. She holds a degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

Her first vocal gig was with Brazilian group Ohta-San's New Thing in 1975. In 1980, as recipient of a Rotary Post-graduate Fellowship for International Understanding, she studied Brazilian folk music traditions and voice at the Escola de Mœsica da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. During her three-year stay, she became immersed in Rio's musical scene. Through her marriage to percussionist Carlinhos "Pandeiro de Ouro" de Oliveira, she befriended countless top names in Brazilian music.

Since coming home in 1983, Tsukiyama de Oliveira has maintained her passion for Latin-American culture through singing in flamenco, salsa, Brazilian and Latin jazz groups. Her community work includes teaching, interpretation and translation of the Spanish and Portuguese languages. Occasionally she surfaces on the 'Olelo channel as an anchorwoman for "Brazilian Update," produced by the Brazilian Cultural Center of Hawaii. She studies speech level singing technique with Dolly Kanekuni.

Brazilian-born Japan-based Beto Beserra is the concert's music director, and also performing are locally-based Brazil-ophiles Aaron Aranita on piano, flute and saxophone; Jeff Iglesia on guitar; and Adam Baron on drums and percussion.

All of the songs in the program will be performed in Portuguese; translations will be included in the program handed out to audience members.

Tickets are $20 general admission, $17.50 for HPR members, and $10 for students with ID. For reservations, call 955-8821.