Brazilian Choro Music Festival: Rogério & Tiago Souza from Rio de Janeiro
$20-$30 suggested donation
- Rogério Souza, 7-string guitar
- Tiago Souza, bandolim
Celebrating 10 years of rodas do choro open jams at Couth Buzzard Books and Zen Arts Group.
Three days of performances highlighting the versatility of this roots music called the soul of Brazil. Starting in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro, choro blends African rhythms with European dance forms in a lively, intricate mix of ensemble playing.
The Couth Buzzard's hosting of the choro community has enabled it to grow into a number of seasoned bands that perform around the Puget Sound region. These bands each fashion a distinct way to play choro and draw from different parts of its vast repertoire.
The highlight of the festival is an appearance by choro aces Rogério and Tiago Souza from Rio, on 7-string guitar and bandolim, respectively. They come from a family that has been active in Rio's choro scene for generations.
Schedule of events:
October 20 – Couth Buzzard Books
7:30pm Choro Amor
8:30pm Chorando na Chuva
October 21 – Zen Arts Group
7pm Rogério and Tiago Souza from Rio de Janeiro
October 22 – Couth Buzzard Books
2pm Choroloco
3pm Choro Tomorrow
4pm Roda do Choro open jam, 10th anniversary
About Rogério Souza, 7-string guitar
A master of both 6 and 7 string guitars, Rogério Souza is one of the foremost representatives of the music of Rio de Janeiro. Rogério is constantly producing and performing in concerts and events that showcase traditional Brazilian music, especially Samba and Choro. He has worked with a multitude of world class Brazilian Musicians as musical director and producer for concerts, TV shows, CDs, and DVDs. Some of these artists include: Baden Powell, Paulinho da Viola, Sivuca, Ney Matogrosso, Altamiro Carrilho, João Bosco, Paulo Moura, Ivan Lins, Guinga, Turíbio Santos, Rafael Rabello, Cristovão Bastos, Nó em Pingo D’agua, Época de Ouro, Elizeth Cardoso, Elza Soares, João Nogueira, Dona Ivone Lara, Nelson Cavaquinho, Guilherme de Brito, Delcio Carvalho, Martinho da Vila, and Zeca Pagodinho.
Rogério Souza is a pioneer in developing the style of music that is known today as "choro novo" – innovative interpretations of traditional Brazilian instrumental music while remaining true to the roots of the music. He performs regularly in music festivals, concerts, and workshops throughout Latin America, Europe, the United States, and Asia. His current show focuses on the art of Brazilian guitar and includes original works as well as classic repertoire. Along with performing, Rogério frequently gives masterclasses and workshops that focus on guitar styles and cover material from his latest books and CDs.
About Tiago Souza, bandolim
Tiago Souza follows in the footsteps of his father, Ronaldo do Bandolim, an icon of the Brazilian mandolin. Playing with emotion and freedom, Tiago is part of a school of musicians formed in the Lapa district in Rio during the 2000s that mixes traditional choro with other musical styles like baião, samba, tango, and jazz, while creating a new style of interpretation and improvisation. He has participated in several recordings of choro and samba, among them Regional Carioca, Callado, the Father of the Chorões, the DVD Brasileirinho, and Historias de um João de Barro with Bia Bedran. He is a regular participant in the biggest choro festivals in Brazil as well as touring regularly throughout Europe and the U.S. with samba groups such as: Unha de Gato, Pé de Moleque, and Semente Choro-Jazz.