By Russ Tarby

 Contributing Writer

During Valentine Day’s week, Wegmans celebrates romance with the sultry sounds of bossa nova.

The Syracuse-based combo called LuBossa will perform twice at Wegmans Café, 6789 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville – from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, and from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14. Shoppers and café patrons can enjoy the music for free.

Featuring soprano Luba Lesser and guitarist-baritone Jason Kessler, LuBossa performs both familiar and exotic bossa nova melodies. They render many of the Brazilian tunes in their original Portuguese.

On Sunday, they’ll be accompanied by keyboardist Andy Rudy and drummer Mark Wolfe. On Tuesday Symphoria bassist Darryl Pugh will complete the rhythm section alongside Wolfe.

“Our repertoire consists almost exclusively of songs written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, who was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style,” Kessler said. Jobim composed such classics as “The Girl from Ipanema” and Dindi.”

A graduate of Colgate University, Kessler studied classical guitar with William Viola of Philadelphia and composition at Syracuse University with Brian Israel. He has performed with members of the Syracuse Symphony and Society for New Music.

Kessler’s repertoire ranges from Elizabethan and Renaissance to original fingerstyle works, jazz and popular standards.
  Luba Lesser grew up in Russia where she sang professionally with the Children’s Chorus of the State Radio and Television in Moscow. After moving to Syracuse in 1991, she has performed with Syracuse Chorale, Syracuse University Oratorio Society, Syracuse Vocal Ensemble and Syracuse Opera.

She has performed English Renaissance programs with the Double String Duo and is a member of the flamenco collaborative Alegre Flamenco. Lesser holds a master’s degree in vocal performance at Syracuse University.