Mark Tonelli Releases Personal and Immersive Album ‘Brasiliana’ on March 13th

American jazz guitarist and composer Mark Tonelli is set to release Brasiliana, a deeply personal and immersive album born from more than three decades of artistic fascination with Brazil. Recorded in São Paulo and performed by an all‑Brazilian ensemble of world‑class musicians, Brasiliana blends Brazilian traditions with Tonelli’s jazz roots in music that feels lived‑in, heartfelt, and expansive.

Tonelli first travelled to Brazil in 2022 as a Fulbright Scholar, fulfilling a 30‑year aspiration. Between 2022 and 2025, he made thirteen trips to the country—teaching, performing, and absorbing the rhythms of daily life. In 2025, he returned as a Fulbright Scholar once again, this time to record Brasiliana in São Paulo at Faculdade Souza Lima, one of Brazil’s leading music institutions.

The album features nine original compositions. Six pieces draw directly from Tonelli’s experiences in Brazil, inspired by relationships, places, and emotional distance, while three highlight his jazz lineage through hard bop and modern jazz forms. Together, they trace a creative journey that moves fluidly between cultures while remaining grounded in improvisation and melody.

Brasiliana also inspired a one‑hour companion documentary by acclaimed Brazilian filmmaker Thiago S. Barbosa, chronicling Tonelli’s long‑held dream of Brazil and the path that led him there. The film is slated for release in 2026, with trailers to follow. Brasiliana will be released worldwide on Friday, March 13, 2026, via Artists Recording Collective.

Mark Tonelli ‘Brasiliana’ album artwork