We Are
Born To Bossa
Welcome!
Treat yourself to some authentic sounding Brazilian Bossa Nova from a group of carefully selected Brazilian artists and true enthusiasts, passionate about Brazilian music - Born To Bossa!
Cool and sophisticated, rich harmonic sounds and simple melodies will float on the rhythm of the samba when Born To Bossa bring you the sounds of Brazil! Our eclectic shows offer Brazilian classics, interlaced with soulful originals and covers.
Many of our instrumentalists are also Samba percussionists with ample performance experience, so a section of our show will showcase the infectious, uplifting rhythms of "O Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro"!
Dancers are also available for the full Brazilian experience - Contact us now for a quote.
Get in touch today to guarantee a memorable show for your event!
Available In The Following Formats
Soloist: Typically, a guitarist/vocalist
Duo, Trio, Quartet: Typically adding drums/percussion, trumpet, another vocalist, or any other combination
Full Band: As many musicians as your budget allows!
Our History
Born To Bossa began as two demo albums released in 2014 by UK artist Dave Holmes, circulated to industry professionals and music friends, designed to promote his Brazilian Bossa Nova repetoire for solo performances.
The albums were well-received, with reviews from Cornwall's The Source FM to Holland's Brazilian Blend on ORTS radio, Rescate Rock and Pop Radio in Peru, to BnovaMusic in Jamaica, to online reviews in Japan and the U.S.
As the word spread, it led to the formation of Soul Tonic as an Arts, Culture and Entertainment company, with scores of successful full-scale Samba percussion shows with Samba Dancers, for our client JP Percussion during the 2016 Olympics season, alongside quite a few of the musicians mentioned below.
This was followed by Music tours and shows in the UK, mainland Europe and Brazil, with Brazilian artist Andrea Amorim, now a Soul Tonic artist herself, who has appeared on the very best TV shows and festivals in Brazil & Japan and recorded the album Bossa de Alma Nova, with one of the founders of the Bossa Nova genre; Lifetime Achievement Grammy Winner Roberto Menescal. Dave himself having recorded, performed and collaborated with both artists, producing his own Brazilian-flavoured originals.
Born To Bossa has now progressed to the full band concept we have today, utilising the skills of a pool of talented instrumentalists, from Rio to UK. For more information about the musicians that make up Born To Bossa, and those we collaborate with often, please read their bios below.
We look forward to bringing you a great show!
Current Lineup
Dave Holmes
Vocals, Guitar, Percussion, Musical Direction
British Guitarist and vocalist Dave Holmes is a versatile musician who has performed all around Europe and Brazil with his eclectic set of authentic sounding Bossa Nova, English/American covers and originals, effortlessly traversing styles with Brazilian nuances and feel. He is also a Percussionist with plenty of experience performing within the UK Samba scene at fetes, festivals and corporate events and is the founder of Soul Tonic and the director of international electronic music project Cosmic Core. He releases his original tracks on all the usual digital platforms.
Mike Rothman
Drums, Percussion & Flute
Michael Rothman hails from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and has been living in London for a decade working as a professional musician whilst studying a Masters in Music Production.
He’s been playing drums for over two decades, touring with countless bands and artists over the years, including shows with Bloco do Sargento Pimenta, one of Rios best Samba groups, regularly playing shows for crowds of more than 150,000 people in Brazil.
He’s played in several different scenarios like brass bands, dance classes, musical theatre, jazz trios, Brazilian percussion groups, parades and has even played for Prince Harry!
Cristiano Rocha
Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Cristiano Rocha is a Brazilian Trumpet and Flugelhorn player from Brasilia, making waves on the London music circuit. Whether it is his skilful accompaniment or freestyle soloing, he’s a fantastic addition to any line up.
He has performed at numerous jams, gigs and corporate events around the UK and Brazil, including a regular slot with London group Samba do Chapéu and with Brazilian singer songwriter Caco Barros, along with other London based artists, in iconic venues such as Made in Brasil, in Camden, London’s alternative culture epicentre.
Marco Rios Santos (Feijão)
Drums
Marcos Feijão has been a prominent figure in the Brazilian music scene for over 30 years. His career began at an early age when he joined his father, Miltinho, in the renowned Brazilian vocal group MPB4. Throughout his career, Feijão has explored various genres of Brazilian music, ranging from Bossa Nova to Batucada.
Feijão has performed extensively with the Jobim Morelembaum Quartet, paying tribute to the legendary Brazilian composer Tom Jobim in Brazil, Japan, South Korea, and Europe. He was also invited by the well-known Japanese singer Lisa Ono to record the album “Bossa Carioca” with Paulo and Daniel Jobim and to perform in a series of concerts across Japan.
Feijão also has a history of playing in rock and pop bands in Brazil in the 90s. He joined Monobloco in 2001, a group that has become a symbol of the Carnaval Carioca, with concerts and drumming workshops in Brazil, the USA, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
More recently, in 2019, Feijão launched the “Feijão Batucada and Drums” project, which consists of drumming workshops that combine technical refinement and the percussive language of batucada, a hallmark of Brazil’s cultural diversity. He has created arrangements for songs by some of Brazil’s greatest composers, exploring the country’s rhythmic richness and the orchestration possibilities of batucada instruments.
Alice Motta
Vocals
Alice Motta is a Brazilian singer, poet and actor based in London. In the beginning of her career, she worked in West End musical theatre productions. Then she moved to London to take a masters in Physical Theatre. Alice’s voice range is wide and she likes being playful with it. Her main singing styles are: bossa nova, samba, jazz, but she also enjoys experimental jamming.
Madeleine Machado
Vocals
Let us introduce you to Madeleine Machado, a versatile and talented singer whose musical journey spans continents and genres.
Madeleine’s love for bossa nova blossomed after relocating to the UK, enchanting audiences across London’s music scene.
Madeleine’s voice resonates with history and emotion as she explores intricate harmonies in choral groups and as a prominent member the Brazilian Vocal group Nossa Voz.
Her ability to seamlessly switch between languages–Portuguese, English, and French—infuses authenticity into her performances. Madeleine Machado’s artistry transcends borders, leaving an indelible mark on listeners worldwide.
Guest Musicians
Fabricio Azevedo
Fabricio Azevedo is a Brazilian instrumentalist, composer and workshop leader based in London and surrounding areas
He has a Bachelor Degree of Music and is an experienced music teacher and versatile musician.
Throughout his career and studies, Fabricio has worked with renowned musicians and conductors. He specialises in drums and percussion, including Xylophone, playing various types of music including Classical, Latin, Jazz and Samba. He works with different artists, duos, trios and also performs for arts & events companies.
He regularly teaches, privately and in schools, and performs in orchestral and chamber music groups, musicals and plays.
Having played in the UK since 2011, he’s also performed in Brazil, Africa, Middle East and throughout Europe.
JP Courtney
JP Courtney is a world class Irish percussionist.
A master of Latin percussion, he specialises in Brazilian Samba and is a driving force in the UK and European scene.
Over the last couple of decades he has performed and directed at countless major festivals and events and has taught thousands of students to play the authentic Brazilian way.
Cyro Zuzi
Cyro Zuzi is a Brazilian born percussionist and drummer, he started his career more than 20 years ago, studying with Brazilian tutors Douglas Las Casas and Ramon Montagner.
In his early days as a drummer he played in many rock bands around Sao Paulo, and in the year 2000 spent a month studying drums in Havana (Cuba), with the collaborator of Modern Drummer Magazine; Chuck Silverman among other Cuban teachers.
Still in 2000, he achieved first place in the Concurso de Bateristas do Vale do Paraiba, a renowned drum contest that gathers drummers from all over São Paulo state. In 2007 Cyro moved to London for professional gigs and recording sessions with local artists. He also made TV appearances, performing on 8 out of 10 Cats, Backchat and Loose Women.is skillset when playing.
He has recorded a few albums in UK, including the Hard Rock band Nitroville (Don’t Stop What Is Coming), and Jazz artists Tamas Teszary (Bopcore) and Guido Spannocchi (Terms and Conditions). He has also collaborated in many tracks for independent artists and in 2018 recorded an instructional DVD called ‘Workshop de Jazz International´ in Brazil with his own trio.Cyro has been touring, doing concerts and workshops in many cities around UK, and played in some of the top music festivals, such as Cheltenham Jazz Fest, Secret Garden Party, Boom Town and Glastonbury. Performances and tours abroad include countries in South America, Europe, Africa and Middle East. He also played in most of London’s prestigious music places: Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz Café, Koko and The Vortex.
A keen educator, Cyro has been working as a private teacher for many years and from 2018 he was the director of Bish Bash Bosh, a company which provided samba workshops for schools, businesses and communities all over the UK. Cyro has also been a dep at Young Music Makers since 2017, being made a permanent member of the team from September 2020. He is also involved with the project Girl Plays Jazz, providing jazz workshops for young females instrumentalists.
John Cervantes
John Cervantes is a jazz pianist, composer, and arranger with strong roots in the swinging jazz tradition, inspired by masters such as Oscar Peterson, Kenny Barron, Mulgrew Miller, and Benny Green. However, he also incorporates classical and world music influences into his compositions… in his quest to express those undefinable flashes of life, creation, emotion & passion that make music so powerful! He has appeared at the biggest jazz festivals in the country, including Cheltenham, Love Supreme, Glasgow, and EFG London. And is a regular presence in the UK’s leading venues, both as a bandleader and as an accompanist for singers, big bands, and instrumentalists.
Get In Touch!
If you have an event or venue that would benefit from our Brazilian-based, smooth-sounding music then reach out today!
From carnivals to clubs, we can supply a sound that's suitably matched to your vibe. You can contact us by e-mailing, via our social media profiles or by simply using the contact form.
We're looking forward to hearing from you!
