I’m writing this today because I wanted to see Sessa + Leo Middea at ZeyZey on Wednesday, May 20. I found out about it in the best way — in a “flawless” text from my former student, Alex Daud:
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“Hey rachelson! This is your former student Alex Daud I’m playing a show with Sessa on May 20 at zeyzey and think you and Anushka will dig it! Hope you are doing well”
As comfortable as many people seem with disastrous grammar, capitalization, and spelling these days, this text makes a few things painfully clear: I didn’t do a very good job teaching. Thank goodness Alex can play the guitar splendidly, and her success in the music world is probably the direct result of ignoring everything I ever taught her. More importantly, this is a show that will fold Tropicália into modern psych‑soul and make Little Haiti sway.
Sessa — born Sergio Sayeg — is drawn to what he calls “the mess” of music: the way sound mutates as it travels. I, too, a mess who has mutated as I’ve traveled, can relate. Any discussion of the depths of Brazilian music requires more space than we have here, but listening to dreamy Sessa cuts and thinking of Arthur Verocai, and hearing soulful cuts and thinking of what Tim Maia and Ed Motta might have released in 2026, felt appropriate.
A native of São Paulo via New York, Sessa has blended rock, jazz, samba, and soul into a singular language. His catalog is big, with Pequena Vertigem de Amor (Lil’ Vertigo de Amor) deep into psychedelic soul with elaborate orchestration, acoustic guitar, Afro‑Brazilian percussion, and a sweet female chorus.
Rio‑born and now Barcelona‑based, Leo Middea brings a smooth and lovely beachy blend: five albums, hundreds of uplifting shows, millions of Spotify streams, and second place at Portugal’s 2024 Festival da Canção — the first Brazilian ever to reach the final. Adding traditional forms to global influence, he’s crafting a sixth album from songs recorded live around the world. It’s positive stuff, 21+ on the Zaku Stage, free with an RSVP, and way too good to miss at any price, let alone free. Hit up the tip jar heavily.
I’ve always wanted to go to ZeyZey, but I’ve never gone — probably because of the usual Miami‑made excuses about traffic. This is, of course, half‑true, with the other half equally lame: we from SW Miami‑Dade imagine the NE corner is another country, passports not optional. Their incomprehensible explanation says it like this:
“I‑395/S.R. 836/I‑95 Project is a partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Greater Miami Expressway Agency (GMX), with construction limits on S.R. 836 beginning at NW 17 Avenue and continuing through the S.R. 836/I‑395/I‑95 (Midtown) Interchange to the MacArthur Causeway Bridge. The limits on I‑95 are from NW 8 Street to NW 29 Street. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2029 at a cost of $866 million.”
My explanation says it like this: I ain’t goin’ up there no more.
All this said, if I had been in Miami, I definitely would have violated my territorial principles and driven up to Little Haiti. If you’re chasing a show that treats the stage as a happy passport minus the President’s face, this is it.
ZeyZey has become a successful favorite for legitimate reasons — great online with a colorful Insta presence, and a space that invites artists to push the edges. Go see Sessa + Leo Middea and tell Alex, who will be killing it on guitar, that I said hello.
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