Mark Tonelli – Guitar
Raphael Ferreira – Tenor & Soprano Sax
Guilherme Ribeiro – Piano
Richard Metairon – Bass
Rodrigo “Digão” Braz – Drums

American guitarist Mark Tonelli’s Brasiliana is a breakthrough release, blending the best elements of Brazilian and jazz styles, featuring an all-star Brazilian cast. Brasiliana represents a bold leap forward for Tonelli as a composer and a deeply personal artistic work.

Tonelli made thirteen trips to Brazil from 2022 to 2025. The first was as a Fulbright Scholar to teach music at a university. Three years later, Tonelli went back to Brazil as a Fulbright Scholar again to make Brasiliana. In between, he returned eleven times to perform and soak in the irresistible rhythm of life in Brazil. Rare for an American to become this deeply immersed in Brazilian culture, Tonelli’s journeys forever changed him. The result is music that is not only Brazilian-inspired— it’s lived.

Of the nine original compositions on the album, six are born of Tonelli’s profound connection to Brazil. The intimate melodies and poignant harmonies of these pieces evoke images of cherished people and places. The remaining three compositions highlight Tonelli’s jazz roots and showcase the improvisational brilliance of Tonelli and his Brazilian bandmates. Taken as a whole, Brasiliana is an immersive musical experience, tracing Tonelli’s creative voyage from jazz composition into the heart of Brazilian culture.

Adding to the album’s impact is a companion one-hour documentary by award-winning Brazilian filmmaker Thiago S. Barbosa, which tells the extraordinary story of Tonelli’s decades-long aspiration to travel to Brazil and the winding path that led him there to create the emotionally-layered Brasiliana. The film is slated for release later this year following its international film festival run, with trailers to be released in the coming months via Tonelli’s social media channels and select YouTube platforms.

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Release Date: Friday, March 13th 2026