Bossa Nova - Tribute to João Gilberto by Mario Bakuna - Live at The Blakehay Theatre

Mario Bakuna on Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

João Gilberto, the great pioneer and father of Bossa Nova in Brazil in the late fifties, is the focus of this special concert performed by Mario Bakuna on guitar and vocals. Featuring reinterpretations alongside Bakuna’s own compositions, the performance invites the audience into the traditional world of samba, the subtle syncopation of João’s plucked-chord style, and the colours of contemporary jazz. With expressive vocals and his signature acoustic guitar, Bakuna brings these timeless pieces to life with warmth, swing, and a modern sensibility. It’s a heartfelt celebration of one of the greatest Brazilian musicians of all time!

“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