Vr 31 jan, 8:30pm Skin and Vocal-Strings by Mario Bakuna & Alaor Soares

For the first time together, the duo composed by Mario Bakuna and Alaor Soares will bring to the stage names such as Dominguinhos, Rique Pantoja, Tom Jobim, Baden Powell, Cole Porter, Carlos Lyra, Joao Bosco and Dory Caymmi. It will also bring own compositions such as Boneco Maluco and Welcome To São Paulo, signed by Mario Bakuna.

Mario Bakuna is a London-based Brazilian composer, singer and guitar player, with over fifteen years of professional experience. He is a graduate of the Free University of Music in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Whilst there he studied with musicians such as: Olmir Stocker, Roberto Sion and Roberto Bomilcar (pianist who played with Frank Sinatra during his visit to Brazil).

Mario has worked alongside the trombonist Itacir Bocato, guitarist Renato Consorte, and other big names from the São Paulo music scene.
His study focusses on afro-brazilian music, Jazz and Bossa Nova. In addition to developing new arrangements of music by enshrined Brazilian artists as Tom Jobim, Paulo Moura, and João Donato, in recent years he has been focussing to reinterpretations of Samba Jazz - a music that emerged in Rio de Janeiro in the 50s and was pioneered by musicians like Luiz Eça, Tamba Trio, Edson Machado, among others. Their repertoire was based on Brazilian standards with more sophisticated harmonies, inspired on the post-Bossa Nova movement.

Recently, he travelled to Europe to expand his research, and since moving to London, he has been performing alongside musicians such as: Jean Toussaint, Liam Noble, Roberto Manzin, Ricardo dos Santos, Edmundo Carneiro, Cacau Queiroz, Alain Jean Marie and Filó Machado.

Music has always been a passion for Alaor Soares. Since his early childhood, with friends or at home parties, music was always present. During his studies at the Municipal Conservatory of São Paulo he became interested in teaching others. Alaor was fascinated by the skills and principles involved in helping others to understand what is being taught and, more importantly, to remember what they have learned. So teaching, learning and performing have always been present in Alaor’s life.
Music is his passion, but it forms part of a larger cultural context, and many other art forms have influenced his work. In Brazil Alaor has worked with Brazilian artists, music schools, theater groups and dance groups. His meeting with the Dutch film director Eddy Terstall resulted in the movie Transit.
Alaor was the first to teach Brazilian music at the Conservatory of Rotterdam. He organized study trips to Brazil, bringing his students to Rio de Janeiro, Salvador (Bahia) and Recife (Pernambuco). At the same time Alaor entered the corporate arena, creating and facilitating unique team-building workshops. Alaor has since participated in numerous events in many different European countries.Alaor has another great passion: organising events. He is the founder of the International Samba Meeting, which features great Brazilian percussion masters and dancers. And as the artistic director of the Viva Brasil Festival, the keynote Brazilian music event in the Netherlands, he has been able to present top Brazilian artists in Amsterdam.Mario Bakuna - Acoustic guitar and Vocal
Alaor Soares - Percussionwww.mariobakuna.com
www.alaorsoares.com