Whether composing, recording, or performing, guitar virtuoso João Perrusi is constantly on the move. He can be found on all fronts, from jazz to rock and opera, João never ceases to inspire.
Being born in Recife, the biggest city of the northeast of Brazil, and growing up in Brasilia, the capital, João Perrusi has been exposed since the youngest age to many different cultures from all across the country. “Brasilia has different cultures from all around the vast Brazil, due to it being a very new city (only 62 years old!). Recife is also the biggest city in the Northeast of Brazil, a region known for having very distinctive and diverse styles of music. This guaranteed me to be in touch with several different rhythms and genres growing up, in a very authentic way, expanding my musical vocabulary.”-- says João
Even though he was not raised by musicians, João Perrusi began learning music at the age of two : "Both my parents have both worked as bank clerks their entire lives, but they have always believed that music education can benefit children cognitively. Therefore, when my older brother Pedro was 4, they put him in music lessons. Although I was only two at the time, they thought enrolling me with my brother wouldn't hurt. That's why we always had a guitar and keyboard around the house when I was growing up.”
His curiosity led him to become an insatiable musician, learning to play the bass, piano, drums, strings, violin, and trumpet in addition to his favorite instrument, the guitar.
“Guitar was my first instrument, and has always been the one I’m most passionate about. I started off playing a lot of popular Brazilian music and classic rock, and it went from a hobby to a sort of obsession; I’d play guitar first thing in the morning before leaving for school and would also be the first thing I’d do after getting back. “-- says João
As the lead trumpet player of his school's marching band, João won awards of most promising trumpet player two years in a row, while also being awarded "Notorious Student" certificates consistently throughout middle-school and high-school.
“Brazil's traditional pop music is both rhythmically and harmonically complex, and is enjoyed by the entire population, even those who aren't musicians. There is a very strong classical guitar culture in the country. A nylon string guitar can be found in most houses, even if nobody under the roof is a musician. The reason for this is partly because that instrument has always been an integral part of the country's popular music." says João
As a teenager, João was featured on Brazil’s national television playing trumpet for the artist Saint-Hills, on the segment “Bom Dia DF" in June 2016.
"Despite Brazil's economic struggles, musicians are highly respected. Growing up, I always saw musicians as magicians or super-heroes; they were loved and respected by everyone, almost as if their energy radiated positivity. In turn, this only inspired me more and more to become a musician myself." –João Perrusi
Awarded “best instrumentalist” in the music festival “Festimar”, and having graduated from the "GTR Institute of Music", "Italo Cunha Studio of Guitar and Improvisation" and "Brasilia's Music Conservatory" as first in his classes, João Perrusi went on to gain national recognition by performing with such prominent artists as Pedro Martins, Raquel Reis, Hamilton Pinheiro and Paulo André Tavares.
“By that time, I was playing a lot of Jazz, which is what sparked my interest in going to Berklee. Many of my favorite players had been there, such as Pat Metheny, Julian Lage and Kurt Rosenwinkel, and I wanted to follow their footsteps while building and discovering my own journey. “ –says João
João’s dedication, determination, and talent paid off soon after, as he was offered a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. Joao adds, "The scholarship was an amazing surprise, but it felt so right at the same time. It felt like I was on set to become the best possible version of myself."
João Perrusi has made his name in the U.S. since moving to Boston in 2016 to study at Berklee College of Music. Having solidified his place in the music business and as a cultural representative of Brazil, he has become an indispensable artist.
In 2018, João performed at a TEDx event with the artist Yael Sante, in 2019, he recorded and performed with Grammy award-winning tabla player Zakir Hussain, and in 2020, he played lead guitar in a show directed by Grammy-winning producer Rob Lewis. That same year, João won the highly competitive Kiesel Guitar Solo Competition, which had thousands of contestants worldwide.
Having graduated from Berklee in 2021, João released original music with Oscar Barcelli and Jesus Molina, and the album received high acclaim worldwide, giving him international stature.
Over the years, João has performed at many festivals and venues, including the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival with the group Noah y Maurizio, as well as the Boston's Puerto Rican Festival with the artist Fabián Torres. In 2021, he performed with the Indian singer Rohith Jayaraman at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
João moved to Los Angeles later that year due to job opportunities, joining the inner circle of Hollywood like all the best artists in the world.
As Joãos busy schedule continued in 2022, this new Californian chapter is already looking very positive and fulfilling for him : He performed in June with Venezuelan artist Maye at the Hollywood Bowl 101 Festival, in July, he played lead guitar with Zakir Hussain on Berklee Indian Ensemble's new album "Shuruaat", one of GQ India's top albums of 2022, in September, João opened for R&B star Ravyn Lenae at Bruin Bash, with artist Saya Mosaic, and recently worked with the producer
Rodrigo Martins. Currently, João Perrusi is working on two projects : an EP with the producer
Middle School set to be released in Spring 2023, and a new album with Oscar Quilca Barcelli to be released in Summer 2023.
In addition, João has some shows and recordings planned with the International Brazilian Opera Company, in New York City
(IBOC), an organization that develops underrepresented voices in opera and a new repertoire that mixes the work of artists across cultures : In the spring of 2023, João Perrusi will be in New York co-writing original material with their team of songwriters for release under their new label with the IBOC Chamber Orchestra.
Meanwhile, you can catch him performing with the International Brazilian Opera Company on November 7 and 8 of 2022, and on March 27 of 2023 in New York City.
