Fernando Brandão Quartet

• Folk
• Trad
• World

Flutist, composer, author and educator Fernando Brandão has performed extensively as a bandleader, sideman, chamber musician and as a soloist with several ensembles and prominent orchestras both in his native Brazil and the US.

Using concert, alto, bass flutes and pífanos, Fernando performs across an eclectic repertoire of traditional and contemporary choros, sambas, bossas, frevos, ijexás, baiões, maracatus and other styles, allying  jazz improvisations to an authentic Brazilian sound. He leads his own ensemble with formations that varies from Trio to Nonet, the bands Alma (contemporary South American music) and Bohemia Carioca (gafieira), and he is an active member of the groups Pablo Ablanedo Octet and Trio Choro Brasil.

He has produced and co-produced 5 CDs, and his latest, Sem Tradução (Without Translation) features nine original songs with lyrics by carioca poet Pedro Lago, by Fernando Brandão, Rosangela Santiago and Robson Santiago, both from Bahia. It also features Marcella Camargo as the lead singer and 14 prominent musicians from the Boston area. His vocal and instrumental compositions are centered mostly around Brazilian styles, and feature traditional and contemporary language and arrangements. His compositions have been recorded by Choro das Três, guitarist Almir Cortes and New World Guitar Trio.