Mario Bakuna Trio – The Golden Age of Brazilian Music: From the Radio Age to Bossa Nova

Internationally acclaimed Brazilian guitarist, vocalist, and composer Mario Bakuna and his Trio present their new concert celebrating the Golden Age of Brazilian music - a journey through the composers who shaped the sound, soul, and identity of Brazil.

Mario Bakuna Trio revisit the essence of Brazil through the great Radio Era of the 1930s and 40s, when Ary Barroso’s grand, sweeping melodies helped define a modern Brazilian identity, and Dorival Caymmi’s understated songs brought the landscapes, rhythms, and spirituality of Bahia into the national imagination. Their music laid the foundations of what would become the classic Brazilian songbook. From this fertile ground emerged a second golden moment. Tom Jobim - deeply influenced by the generation before him - transformed samba into something harmonically daring and internationally resonant. With bossa nova, he carried Brazilian music onto the world stage while preserving the melodic richness and emotional depth inherited from Barroso and Caymmi.

Through expressive interpretation and virtuosic performance, Mario Bakuna and his musicians illuminate the threads connecting these masters, celebrating the Golden Age not as a single period, but as a living tradition that remains timeless, sophisticated, and profoundly Brazilian. 

Mario Bakuna on acoustic guitar and vocals

Felipe Oliveira on bass

Uccio Gaeta on drums

Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian composer, arranger, singer, and guitarist currently based in London. Over the past few years, he has emerged as a leading figure and a key reference in the UK’s Brazilian jazz scene. Renowned 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. Mario has built a distinctive international career, enchanting audiences in both intimate jazz clubs and on grand festival stages around the world, reaching audiences of up to 150,000 people. He has collaborated with leading artists including Guinga, Daniel Jobim, Nelson Ayres, and Robertinho Silva, and his albums Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia and Brazilian Landscapes highlight his unique fusion of tradition and contemporary jazz. His captivating live performances seamlessly unite tradition and modern groove, resulting in a sound that is unmistakably his own and resonates with audiences worldwide. (https://www.mariobakuna.com)

“Mario Bakuna, a sparkling guitarist, 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)

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Mario Bakuna Musician