Brazilian Choro Music Festival

7:30 pm – Choro Amor

8:30 pm – Chorando na Chuva

Celebrating 10 years of rodas do choro open jams at Couth Buzzard Books. Three days of performances highlighting the versatility of this roots music called the soul of Brazil. Starting in 19^th century Rio de Janeiro, choro blends African rhythms with European dance forms in a lively, intricate mix.

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 mandolin, respectively. They come from a family that has been active in Rio’s choro scene for generations.

Choro Amor is a fresh new amalgam of musicians steeped in various world musical styles but having a common theme, a love for Brazilian Choro music. They fine tune their musical arrangements with a beautiful and intricate style to best express the creativity and personalities of each band member – Brandi Ledferd on percussion and vibes, Wayne Clark on violin and bandolim, Arthur Knapp on cavaquinho and manouche guitar, Emerson Pirot on flute and vocals, and Jeff Coult on 7-string Brazilian guitar.

Chorando na Chuva digs deep into the roots of Brazilian music, expressively playing and singing classic choro tunes like no one else. They pour decades of musical exploration and travel to Brazil into their upbeat interpretations and rich arrangements. They perform yearly at BrazilFest and host the Couth Buzzard Roda de Choro open sessions, where they welcome newcomers and provide them encouragement and insight into both the choro style and the traditions of the roda community. The band features Paul Korsmo on vocals and 7-string guitar, Arthur Knapp on cavaquinho and guitar, KTzinha on vocals and flute, and Wayne Organ on vocals and percussion.