Brazilian Landscapes - Mario Bakuna Band - Live in Toronto @The Rex

Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian composer arranger vocalist and guitarist bringing over 25 years of musical artistry to audiences worldwide currently based in London UK. Well known for his deep exploration of traditional Brazilian rhythms samba jazz and bossa nova Mario captures the spirit of Brazilian swing blending it with refined jazz colours in both his original compositions and fresh arrangements of works by iconic artists such as Tom Jobim Dorival Caymmi Paulo Moura and João Donato.

Since moving to Europe to deepen his artistic research and expand his horizons Mario has become a prominent figure in the UK’s Brazilian jazz scene — a key reference for the fusion of Brazilian music and contemporary jazz. His captivating performances have taken him far beyond London with tours across more than 20 European countries as well as Brazil Canada Madagascar Egypt Kazakhstan Azerbaijan Kaliningrad and Taiwan. Over the years he has built a distinctive international career enchanting audiences in both intimate jazz clubs and on grand festival stages around the world. From performing for 3000 people in Azerbaijan and 7000 in Kaliningrad to achieving a record audience of 150000 people at the Taichung Jazz Festival in Taiwan Mario has reached milestones that reflect the universal appeal and emotional depth of his performances.

Driven by a passion for musical exploration Mario has collaborated with artists including Jean Toussaint Alain Jean-Marie Liam Noble Edmundo Carneiro Guinga Cacau Queiroz Ricardo dos Santos Daniel Jobim Nelson Ayres Robertinho Silva and Filó Machado.

His acclaimed albums Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia and Brazilian Landscapes showcase his ability to fuse traditional roots with a contemporary musical sensibility. With sold-out concerts glowing reviews and growing international recognition Mario Bakuna continues to celebrate and expand the language of Brazilian jazz — bringing its rhythm warmth and sophistication to audiences around the globe.

“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

Line up:

Mario Bakuna-guitar

Mark Kelso-drums

Roberto Occhipitni-bass

Juan Carlos Medrano-percussion

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