‘Catalyst Sessions’ recap: Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade

Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade began their Friday-evening virtual concert series “Love and Bossa Nova” in late March. To date, the dynamic jazz duo has performed – for the camera – 22 times, from their downtown balcony or (when it was raining) living room.

There have been exceptions, of course. Once they and their socially-distanced band played in an empty thestudio@620. Just for something new. And when they went on vacation to the Blue Ridge Mountains, they brought all their livestreaming gear and broadcast a concert from the hotel room.

Inspired by the scenery, Najar and Soledade also created a video at the foot of a cascading waterfall.

All was discussed Thursday on The Catalyst Sessions Thursday, as Najar, the St. Pete guitarist, and Soledade, the Brazilian vocal artist, joined us for the first time since April 2.

They performed two songs – one by Antonio Carlos Jobim, another a Soledade/Najar original – and talked wistfully about the day they, and all performers, can get back out there and do what they do in front of a flesh-and-blood audience.

Today on The Catalyst Sessions: Musician Will Thomas Scecina, whose “Wear a Mask” song and video won the Catalyst PSA contest. He’ll be at The Mar, the soon-to-open performance space on Central Avenue.

Streaming at 7 p.m. weekdays on the Catalyst Facebook page. All episodes are archived on our YouTube page.