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A multi-ethnic female-led sextet, En Canto is Seattle's only Forró band. Forró music is a combination of multiple Brazilian rhythms including baião, xote and arrasta-pé. The word refers to both the musical genre and the accompanying partner dance party events where it is heard.
En Canto shows are exuberant sonic journeys, the band driving the dance floor with swirling Brazilian rhythms and irresistible melodies. The sound is fueled primarily by twin accordions and tinged with the jazz backgrounds of several of the musicians. Anchored in the classics and contemporaries of their genre, they pay tribute to influences Luiz Gonzaga, Mestrinho, Dominguinhos, Sivuca and many others. The group brings the Pacific Northwest a rare link between old and new Brazil. En Canto presents monthly forró events at Studio Current on the Capitol Hill neighborhood, and performs regularly at music and dance festivals around the US and Canada. In 2018 En Canto was featured at the New York Forró festival alongside Forró In the Dark, Luic Da Silva, Vitor Goncalves and Felipe Hostins. The members of the band include a mix of Seattle veterans and skilled imports from Brazil, with an assortment of music degrees and decades of playing experience: vocalist Adriana Giordano; accordionists Jamie Maschler and Gabe Hall-Rodrigues; bassist Mike Catts; flautist Meese Tonkin; pianist Mike Withey and drummer Adam Kozie. |
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ADRIANA GIORDANO
Brazilian-born vocalist Adriana Giordano draws her inspiration from the deep well of Brazilian song. Her voice is pure and unadorned, from the source of the rich musical traditions of Brazil. Her influences include Elis Regina, Joyce Moreno, Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Baden Powell, Joao Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Djavan, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Filo Machado, Monica Salmaso, Dani Gurgel, Tatiana Parra, Giana Viscardi, Clara Nunes, Luiz Gonzaga, Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, and Duo Assad. Ms. Giordano has dazzled Seattle audiences since 2010, performing with her other band, Adriana Giordano quartet. She also currently hosts a weekly live music jam, EntreMundos, along with Seattle's premier musicians, in north Seattle.
Brazilian-born vocalist Adriana Giordano draws her inspiration from the deep well of Brazilian song. Her voice is pure and unadorned, from the source of the rich musical traditions of Brazil. Her influences include Elis Regina, Joyce Moreno, Tom Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Baden Powell, Joao Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Djavan, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Filo Machado, Monica Salmaso, Dani Gurgel, Tatiana Parra, Giana Viscardi, Clara Nunes, Luiz Gonzaga, Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti, and Duo Assad. Ms. Giordano has dazzled Seattle audiences since 2010, performing with her other band, Adriana Giordano quartet. She also currently hosts a weekly live music jam, EntreMundos, along with Seattle's premier musicians, in north Seattle.
JAMIE MASCHLER
A unique member of Seattle’s music scene because she has played accordion since the age of four. Jamie Maschler graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a Bachelors in Music and has won several national and international accordion competitions for jazz, classical, and original compositions. She has performed as a featured soloist at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. She has also recorded at some of the top studios in Seattle, including London Bridge, Avast, Elliott Bay Recording Company, Litho and Clatter and Din. Maschler now works at Petosa Accordions, the last accordion manufacturer in the United States, while pursuing a very active career in Seattle and the greater Northwest area.
A unique member of Seattle’s music scene because she has played accordion since the age of four. Jamie Maschler graduated from Cornish College of the Arts with a Bachelors in Music and has won several national and international accordion competitions for jazz, classical, and original compositions. She has performed as a featured soloist at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. She has also recorded at some of the top studios in Seattle, including London Bridge, Avast, Elliott Bay Recording Company, Litho and Clatter and Din. Maschler now works at Petosa Accordions, the last accordion manufacturer in the United States, while pursuing a very active career in Seattle and the greater Northwest area.
GABRIEL HALL-RODRIGUES
Gabe Hall-Rodrigues is an Arizona-native accordionist, pianist and vocalist currently residing in Seattle, WA. He began playing the piano at age 7 and quickly realized his love for music and performing. In 2010, after only studying the accordion for a year, Gabe won the American Accordionists’ Association’sVirtuoso Solo Competition. In 2011 he graduated from Arizona State University with his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy. In 2013, Gabe graduated from ASU with a Master of Music in Jazz Piano Performance under the award winning pianist, composer and professor, Mike Kocour. During his time at ASU, Gabe received the Special Talent Award and Jazz Bird scholarships. He was a frequent guest vocalist with the ASU Concert Jazz Band and Jazz Repertory Band. Gabe was also fortunate to study with world-renowned professor and tubist Sam Pilafian during his time on accordion with the traditional jazz ensemble, the ASU Dixie Devils.
Gabe Hall-Rodrigues is an Arizona-native accordionist, pianist and vocalist currently residing in Seattle, WA. He began playing the piano at age 7 and quickly realized his love for music and performing. In 2010, after only studying the accordion for a year, Gabe won the American Accordionists’ Association’sVirtuoso Solo Competition. In 2011 he graduated from Arizona State University with his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy. In 2013, Gabe graduated from ASU with a Master of Music in Jazz Piano Performance under the award winning pianist, composer and professor, Mike Kocour. During his time at ASU, Gabe received the Special Talent Award and Jazz Bird scholarships. He was a frequent guest vocalist with the ASU Concert Jazz Band and Jazz Repertory Band. Gabe was also fortunate to study with world-renowned professor and tubist Sam Pilafian during his time on accordion with the traditional jazz ensemble, the ASU Dixie Devils.
MICHAEL CATTS
Proud to call the Pacific Northwest his home, Bassist Michael Catts first moved to Seattle from the east coast to further pursue his musical career more than decade ago. He has studied at Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle), as well as The University of the Arts (Philadelphia), and attended Centrum’s Jazz in Port Townsend on scholarship. While living in Seattle, he has been fortunate to perform in the Seattle area at a wide variety of venues ranging from ACT Theatre to Tula's Jazz Cafe to popular clubs like Nectar and The Tractor Tavern. His love for the music of Brazil was first encouraged by former teachers Orlando Haddad and Jovino Santos Neto, and now he's fortunate to continue studying these rich musical styles through the music of En Canto.
Proud to call the Pacific Northwest his home, Bassist Michael Catts first moved to Seattle from the east coast to further pursue his musical career more than decade ago. He has studied at Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle), as well as The University of the Arts (Philadelphia), and attended Centrum’s Jazz in Port Townsend on scholarship. While living in Seattle, he has been fortunate to perform in the Seattle area at a wide variety of venues ranging from ACT Theatre to Tula's Jazz Cafe to popular clubs like Nectar and The Tractor Tavern. His love for the music of Brazil was first encouraged by former teachers Orlando Haddad and Jovino Santos Neto, and now he's fortunate to continue studying these rich musical styles through the music of En Canto.
MEESE AGRAWAL TONKIN
A Seattle-based musician trained in classical flute, Ms. Tonkin graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters of Music degree in Flute Performance 2012. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Puget Sound. Meese regularly performs classical, Latin, and Hindustani music around the Seattle area, as well as in other countries including Brazil, Spain, and Italy. In addition to performing with En Canto, Ms. Tonkin performs with the flute and accordion duo, Ellas, with colleague Jamie Maschler. She was selected to participate in the Festival do Inverno in Domingos Martins, Brazil, in 2012, as well as the Bay View Music Festival in 2011, in the Burgos Chamber Music Festival in Spain 2007, and in the Rome Festival Orchestra in 2006, all on scholarship. Ms. Tonkin is the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including the Brechemin, Marjorie Heritage, Cleone Soule, and Weathers memorial scholarships. She regularly gives workshops on the music of Brazil and improvisation for the Seattle Flute Society, as well as for the Northwest Accordion Society.
A Seattle-based musician trained in classical flute, Ms. Tonkin graduated from the University of Washington with a Masters of Music degree in Flute Performance 2012. She also holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Puget Sound. Meese regularly performs classical, Latin, and Hindustani music around the Seattle area, as well as in other countries including Brazil, Spain, and Italy. In addition to performing with En Canto, Ms. Tonkin performs with the flute and accordion duo, Ellas, with colleague Jamie Maschler. She was selected to participate in the Festival do Inverno in Domingos Martins, Brazil, in 2012, as well as the Bay View Music Festival in 2011, in the Burgos Chamber Music Festival in Spain 2007, and in the Rome Festival Orchestra in 2006, all on scholarship. Ms. Tonkin is the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including the Brechemin, Marjorie Heritage, Cleone Soule, and Weathers memorial scholarships. She regularly gives workshops on the music of Brazil and improvisation for the Seattle Flute Society, as well as for the Northwest Accordion Society.
MIKE WITHEY
Mike Withey has played piano since he was 7 and Brazilian music since 2005. Classically trained, he started playing rock and roll for parties at Beverly Hill High School in the sixties, where he first fell in love with Tom Jobim’s music—the bossa nova—although, he notes, he could never play it until later. In addition to playing keyboard with En Canto, Mr. Withey also has performed with two other Seattle bands: No Jive Five (jazz standards) and Thursty Love (Latin and pop) and regularly attends California Brazil Camp. Having practiced law for 42 years, he is now slowly exiting the legal profession to play more music and write a murder mystery and international spy novel about the murders of his friends.
Mike Withey has played piano since he was 7 and Brazilian music since 2005. Classically trained, he started playing rock and roll for parties at Beverly Hill High School in the sixties, where he first fell in love with Tom Jobim’s music—the bossa nova—although, he notes, he could never play it until later. In addition to playing keyboard with En Canto, Mr. Withey also has performed with two other Seattle bands: No Jive Five (jazz standards) and Thursty Love (Latin and pop) and regularly attends California Brazil Camp. Having practiced law for 42 years, he is now slowly exiting the legal profession to play more music and write a murder mystery and international spy novel about the murders of his friends.
Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch is an exuberant drummer/percussionist, vocalist, and composer whose passion for soulful music of varied traditions has led him to perform with jazz, blues, and gospel groups--as well as calypso, samba, and Cuban jazz ensembles. Between 1988-96, Jeff studied fine art, and music in Leeds, England. He studied percussion and drum set with Dave Hassel, calypso with steel drum master Dudley Nesbitt, and later Brazilian percussion with Jesse Bannister. In Leeds he first worked as a percussion accompanist for dancers at the Northern Contemporary Dance School; The Phoenix Dance Company and The Northern Ballet. Now based in Seattle, Jeff continues this work for the Cornish College of the Arts, and for Janelle Keane's Afro-Brazilian dance classes at the University of Washington Experimental College.
In 1997, Jeff spent six months in Brazil and studied with a variety of percussionists including Edmilson Costa Teixeira, Gilo do Pandeiro, and Mestres Memeu and Lazaro from Olodum. In 1998 Jeff returned to Brazil and had the opportunity to play and perform with the Jovino Santos Neto group which included drummer Marcio Bahia, bassist Arismar do Espirito Santo, and saxophonist Hans Teuber.
Currently Jeff continues to perform with a variety of groups in the Seattle area including the Jovino Santos Neto quinteto; Cuban jazz groups Rumba Abierta, and Tumbao led by pianist Julio Jauregui; and Cuban dance band Mango Son, led by Roberto Sanchez. He is the drummer at First AME church, and also plays for pianist Kent Stevenson, and gospel singer Patrinell Wright.
Jeff continues to teach percussion to people of all ages both privately and in schools and universities. He is currently the recipient of a King County Arts grant for a recording project entitled 'Drums and Voices - Contemporary Spirituals' which is a collaborative effort with gospel singer Patrinell Wright.
Jeff Busch is an exuberant drummer/percussionist, vocalist, and composer whose passion for soulful music of varied traditions has led him to perform with jazz, blues, and gospel groups--as well as calypso, samba, and Cuban jazz ensembles. Between 1988-96, Jeff studied fine art, and music in Leeds, England. He studied percussion and drum set with Dave Hassel, calypso with steel drum master Dudley Nesbitt, and later Brazilian percussion with Jesse Bannister. In Leeds he first worked as a percussion accompanist for dancers at the Northern Contemporary Dance School; The Phoenix Dance Company and The Northern Ballet. Now based in Seattle, Jeff continues this work for the Cornish College of the Arts, and for Janelle Keane's Afro-Brazilian dance classes at the University of Washington Experimental College.
In 1997, Jeff spent six months in Brazil and studied with a variety of percussionists including Edmilson Costa Teixeira, Gilo do Pandeiro, and Mestres Memeu and Lazaro from Olodum. In 1998 Jeff returned to Brazil and had the opportunity to play and perform with the Jovino Santos Neto group which included drummer Marcio Bahia, bassist Arismar do Espirito Santo, and saxophonist Hans Teuber.
Currently Jeff continues to perform with a variety of groups in the Seattle area including the Jovino Santos Neto quinteto; Cuban jazz groups Rumba Abierta, and Tumbao led by pianist Julio Jauregui; and Cuban dance band Mango Son, led by Roberto Sanchez. He is the drummer at First AME church, and also plays for pianist Kent Stevenson, and gospel singer Patrinell Wright.
Jeff continues to teach percussion to people of all ages both privately and in schools and universities. He is currently the recipient of a King County Arts grant for a recording project entitled 'Drums and Voices - Contemporary Spirituals' which is a collaborative effort with gospel singer Patrinell Wright.