“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, 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 3,000 people in Azerbaijan and 7,000 in Kaliningrad to achieving a record audience of 150,000 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.

 

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, Le Baiser Salé, Sunset Sunside, 360 Paris Music Factory); Mannheim (Ella and Louis); Augsburg (Jazzclub Augsburg); Paderborn (Paderborn Jazzclub); 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); Porto (Hot Five Jazz Club); Ronse (CC De Ververij); 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); Cyprus (headliner at Paradise Jazz Festival); Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad Jazz Festival); Sweden (Bangen Jazz & Blues Festival); Egypt (headliner at Cairo Jazz Festival); Taichung Jazz Festival (Taiwan).