Toninho Horta - Mathias Allamane Trio (BRA/FR)

When people speak of Brazilian guitar, connoisseurs immediately think of Toninho Horta. Born in Belo Horizonte, he is more than a musician: he is a living institution, an architect of sound, and an artist whose harmonic sensibility has influenced generations of jazz musicians, from Pat Metheny to lovers of modern bossa nova.

Horta’s partnership with French double bassist Mathias Allamane is one of those rare encounters where South American warmth meets European precision, creating music that needs no translation. Toninho Horta brings to the project the entire legacy of the Clube da Esquina movement, which transformed Brazilian popular music in the 1970s. His style is unmistakable: rich chords layered one upon another like colours in an Impressionist painting, woven together with delicate, lyrical melodies. In Horta’s hands, jazz harmonies flow naturally into folk rhythms, creating a hypnotic whole.

Mathias Allamane, a French double bassist with impeccable taste, provides the perfect anchor for Horta’s guitar lines. His role in the trio is far more than supportive. Allamane is a partner in the musical dialogue, knowing exactly when to let the guitar breathe and when to dig in, giving the rhythm section the drive it needs. His tone is deep, woody and rock-solid—an essential counterbalance to Horta’s often ethereal playing. The trio works like a finely tuned machine, yet never loses its humanity or its capacity for spontaneous improvisation.

The Toninho Horta / Mathias Allamane Trio is proof that music truly is a universal language. The meeting of a Brazilian legend and European virtuosos shows how a deep musical experience can emerge when respect for tradition is joined by a desire to discover something new. Even in his later years, Horta proves that his fingers have lost none of their agility, his heart none of its passion for melody, and that the hot blood still flows through the unmistakable rhythm found only in the very best.

Toninho Horta – guitar, vocals; Mathias Allamane – double bass; Rafa Müller – drums.

Ticket prices: Special “Christmas” price until 31 December: CZK 1,200 for a seat and CZK 600 for standing admission. Until 2 March: CZK 1,400 for a seat and CZK 700 for standing admission. On the day of the concert, tickets will cost CZK 1,600 for a seat and CZK 800 for standing admission. VIP tickets: CZK 1,800, including a seat by the stage and an up-close experience with the band. If you purchase a seated ticket, you do not need to reserve a seat separately. Club discounts do not apply to this concert. Thank you for your understanding.

Band website: toninhohorta.bandcamp.com