Tio Chorinho

Tio Chorinho is the first ensemble in Canada dedicated to performing Brazilian choro music. The group performs frequently in Toronto and southern Ontario and has also toured in BC, Quebec and parts of the US (California, Michigan, Maryland). The group’s debut album "Chora Brazil," earned two Canadian Folk Music Award nominations and was described by Wholenote Magazine as “an absolute delight from start to finish…a terrific debut CD; play it on a grey day and your room will be filled with sunshine!”  Their most recent release “Tempestuoso” (LulaWorld Records 2024) earned honours for “Instrumental Group of the Year” at the 2025 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Songlines' review of the album included such raves as: "infectious," "full of surprises," "great fun, played to perfection," and a "Sonic delight.". Tio Chorinho’s growing profile has been bolstered by official showcase performances at recent industry conferences like Folk Music Ontario, Global Toronto, World Music Fest @Taiwan and Mundial Montreal.

Choro (pronounced SHOH-roh) is a primarily instrumental style originating in Rio de Janeiro in the late-19th century. Choro is the original Brazilian soul music, combining popular and classical European styles with Afro-Brazilian influences. It is the foundation of many modern Brazilian music styles, and is often described as “the New Orleans jazz of Brazil.” Exciting, energetic, soulful, intimate, nostalgic and virtuosic, choro is an infectious popular style whose universal appeal belies its musical complexity.

Inspired primarily by the recordings and compositions of the great Brazilian mandolin master Jacob do Bandolim (1918-1969), Tio Chorinho also performs music by other essential composers of the genre, including Ernesto Nazareth, Pixinguinha, Waldir Azevedo, Luiz Americano, and others. They have recently begun to integrate original compositions in their repertoire, extending their stylistic range while still capturing the authentic spirit of choro. Wherever they play, audiences are consistently thrilled by the group's virtuosity and dynamics, and by their easy-going charm on stage. The group features Carlinhos Cardozo (cavaquinho), Maninho Costa (percussion), Milos Popovic (accordion), Eric Stein (mandolin), and Andre Valerio (7-string guitar). They perform frequently with the amazing Brazilian-born, Quebec-based vocalist Flavia Nascimento, with whom they will soon be making a full-length collaborative recording.

Visit the shows page to see when/where Tio Chorinho is playing next, watch some videos of the group in action, and listen and purchase tracks from the group's CD right here. Follow the group on Facebook for the latest info and sign up for our e-mailing list.

Here are some of the festivals and venues the group has played at in the past:

Vancouver Island Music Festival, BC
Harrison Festival of the Arts, BC
Sudbury Jazz Festival, Sudbury, ON
Axé WorldFest, Ottawa, ON 
City Winery, Washington DC
TD Toronto Jazz Festival
Markham Jazz Festival
Luminato Festival
Stratford Summer Music Festival
Midland Centre for the Performing Arts, Midland, ON
Mill Race Festival of Traditional Music
Ashkenaz Festival
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Garfield Theatre, San Diego, CA
SOhO Music Club, Santa Barbara, CA
Music at Main Series, W. Bloomington, MI
JxJ Festival, Washington, DC
Harbourfront Centre
Toronto Music Garden
Global Toronto Conference
Toronto Botanical Gardens
Burlington Botanical Gardens
Expressions of Brazil Festival
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Lula Lounge
Jazz Bistro
Free Times Cafe
Yauca's Lounge
Touché Martini Bar