“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)

 

“Mario Bakuna, a man who exudes music. (…) ‘vocals’ doesn’t begin to do him justice: his expressive range and the precision with which he was able to deploy it was truly the band’s fifth instrument.  (…) And he did this while playing guitar with precision and finesse. (…) his solos were a further source of amazement, his technique somewhere between finger-picking style and classical. His solo introduction to a Baden Powell number made a hash of any attempt at a definition.” (The Whitman Review, Wakefield Jazz)

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Mario Bakuna is a Brazilian composer, arranger, vocalist, and guitarist with over 20 years of professional experience, currently based in London, UK. He graduated from the Free University of Music in São Paulo, Brazil, where he studied under acclaimed musicians such as Olmir Stocker, Roberto Sion, and Roberto Bomilcar.

Well known for his deep exploration of traditional Brazilian rhythms, samba, jazz, and bossa nova, Mario focuses on both original compositions and fresh arrangements of works by iconic artists like Tom Jobim, Dorival Caymmi, Paulo Moura, and João Donato. In recent years, he has also dedicated his research and performance to reinterpreting Samba Jazz, a genre that emerged in 1950s Rio de Janeiro through the work of artists like Luiz Eça, Tamba Trio, and Edson Machado. This style blends Brazilian standards with sophisticated harmonies influenced by the post–bossa nova movement.

Driven by a passion for musical exploration, Mario moved to Europe to deepen his research and expand his artistic horizons. Since settling in London, he has collaborated with artists such as Jean Toussaint, Liam Noble, Ricardo dos Santos, Edmundo Carneiro, Cacau Queiroz, Alain Jean-Marie, Dudu Penz, and Filó Machado. He has since become a prominent figure and key reference in the UK’s Brazilian jazz scene, performing extensively across Europe and beyond at renowned venues and international festivals. 

His albums Where Rio de Janeiro Meets Bahia and Brazilian Landscapes highlight his ability to fuse traditional roots with a contemporary musical sensibility. With sold-out concerts and critical acclaim, these projects have toured across 20 European countries, as well as Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, captivating audiences around the world.

 

Venues and festivals where Mario Bakuna has performed include:

London (Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott's, Pizza Express, Jazz Cafe, Crazy Coqs); Dublin (Arthur's Jazz club); Nottingham (Peggy’s Sky Light); Canada (The Jazz Room, Yardbird Suite); Paris (La Cigale, Sunset Sunside, 360 Paris Music Factory, Le Baiser Salé); Mannheim (Ella and Louis); Augsburg (Jazzclub Augsburg); Copenhagen (Jazzhus Montmartre); Fribourg (La Spirale); Budapest (Opus Jazz Club); Madrid (Sala Clamores) Valência (Café Mercedez); Vienna (Reigen Live); Bad Vöslau (Hob i Raum); Rotterdam (Grounds, Dizzy); Amsterdam (Teatro Munganga, Jazz Café Alto); Brussels (Le Baixu); Ronse (CC De Ververij); Porto (Hot Five Jazz Club);  Sao Paulo (Blue Note-SP, JazzB); 

Festivals: Estonia (headliner at Juu Jääb Jazz Festival); Azerbaijan (headliner at Baku Jazz Festival); UK (EFG London Jazz Festival, Petworth Festival, Henley Festival, Ealing Jazz Festival; Aberjazz Festival); Kazakhstan (Almaty Jazz Festival); Madagascar (Nosy Be Jazz Festival); Denmark (headliner at Jazz I Eltrik Gaarden Festival); Romania (Csíki Jazz Festival, Harmonia Cordis Concerto de Chitara); Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad Jazz Festival); Cyprus (headliner at Paradise Jazz Festival); Egypt (headliner at Cairo Jazz Festival).