Mario Bakuna

Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian musician currently based in London. Over the past few years, he has emerged as a leading figure in the Brazilian jazz music scene in the UK. Mario and his band have performed to great acclaim across the UK, Europe, and beyond, from Canada to Madagascar, Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. Following the release of his first album ‘Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia’, Mario’s most recent release, ‘Brazilian Landscapes’ features new arrangements of material by great composers such as Marcos Valle, Claudio Bertrami, Rique Pantoja, Gilberto Gil, Djavan, João Bosco, Arismar do Espirito Santo, and the ‘forrozeiros’ Dominguinhos and Luiz Gonzaga. Brazilian Landscapes is a tribute to the culture and memory of Brazilian people. It comes from years of inspiration from Mario’s travels throughout Brazil, experiencing its rhythmic and harmonic richness. From the arid landscape of the northeast, reflected in the chorus of songs of Forró, Baião and Xaxado, to the African influence found in Ijexá, the popularity of Samba and the sophistication of Bossa Nova, Mario Bakuna and his musicians celebrate the most musically rich territory on Earth. The lineup features Mario Bakuna on acoustic guitar and vocals, Chris Attwell on electric bass, and Adam Omianski on drums. “A sparkling guitarist who plays with palpable feeling – his virtuosic fluency on the fretboard is controlled and flourishes are perfectly placed. His voice has a texture like heavy cloth” ~ Songlines Magazine