Imagine a pandeiro as a complete drum set. The thumb anchors the low end, slaps articulate the midrange and the jingles shimmer like cymbals. This is the sonic universe of Tulio Araujo.
Araujo is a Brazilian percussionist, composer, producer and sound engineer. He holds degrees in percussion and music production from the prestigious Bituca - University of Popular Music. His artistic path was shaped through studies with masters such as Ian Guest (Hungary), Santiago Reyther (Cuba) and Marcos Suzano (Brazil).
Inspired by the work of american pandeiro innovator Scott Feiner, Tulio began to envision a bold fusion between the pandeiro and the language of Jazz improvisation. Deeply engaged with metric modulation, polyrhythms and rhythmic displacement, he developed a highly personal approach that redefines the role of Brazilian percussion in contemporary Jazz.
With six albums and numerous singles released, he has performed at major festivals and leading venues across Brazil and abroad. Since 2013, his international career has taken him to iconic stages in the United States, including Birdland, Iridium, Blue Note and Mezzrow in New York, as well as the California Jazz Conservatory and SF Jazz in San Francisco.
His discography has received significant critical recognition. East (2014) was a finalist at the International Songwriting Competition and won Best Jazz Album at the Akademia Music Awards. Monduland (2017) was selected among the 10 best albums of the year by renowned Brazilian critic Carlos Calado. In 2019, he performed on Instrumental Sesc Brasil and completed his first European tour, performing in Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and England, where he released Quantum, a duo album with pianist Daniel Grajew.
Released in 2023, Awerejê marks a new chapter in his career, presenting jazz standards by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Richard Rodgers, Johnny Green and Chick Corea, arranged exclusively for pandeiro.
Alongside his solo work, Araujo performs and records with projects such as Choro Amoroso and Viva Dominguinhos, while remaining active as a sound engineer and educator. His online course O Ritmo da Melodia has attracted more than 2000 students worldwide, establishing him as one of the leading contemporary voices in rhythm education.
