Tempestuoso

Tempestuoso is the infectious second album from Tio Chorinho, Canada’s first ensemble dedicated to choro music. While this Brazilian style typically combines European and Afro-Brazilian influences, Tempestuoso is full of surprises thanks, in part, to the band’s heritage. Brazilians Carlos Cardozo (cavaquinho), Maninho Costa (percussion) and Andre Valerio (seven-string guitar) blend Brazilian and Canadian musical traditions. Serbian-Canadian Milos Popovic (accordion) adds classical, folk, jazz and Balkan influences, while Eric Stein (mandolin) brings expertise in klezmer (a traditional Jewish style) and Eastern European music. The ten tracks are all instrumental, except ‘Beija-Flor’, which features a fervent vocal performance from Brazilian-born, Québec-based vocalist Flavia Nascimento. A stand-out is ‘Assim Mesmo’, which kicks off with funky percussion and guitar before folky lead lines, harmonics and a step-down chord progression make way for Django Reinhardt vibes. The high-intensity energy of ‘Frevo Corrido’ is also sure to delight. Great fun, played to perfection, Tempestuoso is a sonic delight.