Navigating the space between Bossa Nova sophistication and the deep folk roots of Maracatu, Samba, Frevo, Caboclinhos, Baião, and Xote, the ensemble reinterprets Brazilian classics and original compositions — at times faithful to the Bossa Nova aesthetic, at others breaking free into a rich collision of genres. Our originals speak to the lives of creative artists making their way through the San Francisco Bay Area.
Paulo Sultanum is a Brazilian songwriter, vocalist, and pianist known for leading the celebrated Brazilian quartet Casulo and for his distinctive rhythmic, percussive approach to the piano. He describes his original music as bossafolk — a fusion of bossa nova’s jazz-inflected intimacy and the earthy storytelling and rhythms of northeastern Brazilian folk traditions.
In performance, he blends authentic Brazilian piano and vocals with smooth, expressive melodies, improvisation, and thoughtful arrangements, offering fresh interpretations of Brazilian classics alongside his own original compositions.
Rooted in Recife. Dreamed in San Francisco
Paulo's album Interregnum, is an ambitious album being released as a trilogy of EPs. Each installment features original compositions drawn from a distinct Afro-Brazilian musical tradition — Samba, Frevo, and Maracatu-Baque Virado— all built around the keys and recorded alongside seasoned musicians from his hometown of Recife, Brazil, a city with a deep and storied musical heritage.
Born in San Francisco and recorded in his hometown of Recife, the work binds ancestral rhythm to intimate piano, raw vocals, and diasporic memory, honoring what came before while reaching toward what's next
The Trilogy:
Arrecife — Samba Piano Bloco do Riso — Frevo Piano (releasing summer 2026) Pacífico — Maracatu Piano (releasing fall 2026)