Petra Van Nuis & Andy Brown Duo

As high school sweethearts at a performing arts school in Cincinnati, vocalist Petra van Nuis and guitarist Andy Brown grew up together as artists.  After honing their craft in Cincinnati and a brief stint in New York City, the couple settled in Chicago in 2003 where they regularly play such top jazz venues as the Green Mill, Jazz Showcase, Le Piano, Andy’s Jazz Club, Winter’s Jazz Club, Fitzgerald’s Nightclub and SPACE as well as tour nationally and internationally.

Their twenty-six-year musical collaboration has been heralded by Germany’s Jazzpodium Magazine as “a magical musical dialogue, which can only be partially described as blind understanding.” Five of their CDs have been re-released in Japan and are used as in-flight music on All Nippon Airways (Japan’s largest airline).

Petra has fronted her popular Chicago-style Recession Seven band for over a decade and her latest two recordings “Lonely Girl – I Remember Julie” and “Because We’re Night People” were awarded 4-star ratings in Downbeat Magazine. Andy is a Delmark recording artist whose most acclaimed CD “Soloist” highlights his unique brand of fingerstyle solo guitar. A You Tube video of Andy’s solo guitar work has gone “jazz viral” reaching nearly 4 million views. Andy backs many touring artists who visit Chicago including Scott Hamilton, Rebecca Kilgore, Warren Vache, Howard Alden, Ken Peplowski, Hod O’Brein and Harry Allen.

Petra and Andy often play as an intimate duo or augment with other musicians in a variety of ensembles. With a focus is on swing-era music, Great American Songbook standards and Brazilian bossa nova, their enormous repertoire encompasses obscurities as well as familiar favorites. Drawn toward songs with clever lyrics, lovely melodies and rich harmonies, Petra and Andy are often praised for their elegant nuanced approach and expressive engaging demeanor creating a presentation which blends technique with heart!