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.
Paulo’s current focus is Interregnum, an ambitious album recorded as a trilogy of EPs, each featuring original compositions that explore three distinct Afro-Brazilian musical matrices: Samba, Frevo and Maracatu – all centered around the keys. He has been traveling to Brazil to record the project with local musicians in his musically rich hometown of Recife.
Rooted in Recife. Dreamed in San Francisco
His current project, Interregnum, is an ambitious album in three EPs, each exploring a distinct Afro-Brazilian musical matrix — all centered around the piano. Conceived in San Francisco and recorded in his hometown of Recife, the work weaves ancestral rhythm with intimate piano, raw vocals, and diasporic memory — honoring the past while dancing toward the future. The Trilogy:
Arrecife — Samba Piano Bloco do Riso — Frevo Piano (releasing summer 2026) Pacífico — Maracatu Piano (releasing fall 2026)