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Velha Alma by Mark Tonelli
From the album
Album Title: Brasiliana
Label: ARC - Artists Recording Collective
Released: 2026
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About the Album
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.
Tracks
Velha Alma; Four-Sided Circle; Minha Felicidade É Estar Com Você; A Solidão Não Tem Cura; Doi Mas É Bom; Bloco 3M; Praça Jardim Finotti; Twenty One Biscuits; End of An Era
Personnel
Mark Tonelli
guitarRaphael Ferreira
saxophone
Guilherme Ribeiro
pianoRichard Metairon
bassRodrigo "Digão" Braz
drumsDate featured
May 15, 2026
This song appears by permission of the contributing artist and/or record company. It is for personal use only; no other rights are granted or implied.
