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Who We Are
Projeto Brasileiro is the celebration of 2 great musical cultures: Brazil and America. We pay homage to legends of the Bossa Nova and Samba movements, while exploring these timeless compositions in an instrumental jazz quintet context, adding technical interplay and improvised flair to the rhythms and melodies of great artists like Tom Jobim, Sergio Mendez, Hermeto Pascoal, and others. Formed by John O'Leary several years ago, Projeto Brasileiro explores both traditional and modern styles of Brazilian music over the last century, spanning the entire country, from Bahia to Rio and more. We play danceable upbeat sambas, beautiful melodic ballads, and everything in between, so there's something for everyone to enjoy!
...and be on the lookout for our upcoming debut release "Sem Fronteiras"!
Meet The Band
John O'Leary
John O’Leary is a saxophonist from Atlanta Georgia, and has performed professionally for 10+ years across jazz and contemporary styles. John has performed with such artists as Dave Leibman, Stefon Harris, Scotty Barhnhart, Regina Carter, Carmen Bradford, and with ensembles such as the TSO Jazz Orchestra, John Beasley’s Monk’estra, Marcus Robert’s Modern Jazz Generation, The Frank Lacy Mingus Band, and the Nick Finzer Nonet.
He received his Masters of Music in Jazz Saxophone Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, and graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelors of Music. During his education, he studied under and performed with such artists as Donny McCaslin, Dayna Stephens, Vincent Herring, Leon Anderson, and Jim McNeely .
John’s Perfoming career has taken him across the US and around the world. Notable performing venues include the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Tallahassee Jazz Festival, the Harlem Stage, and Lincoln Center NYC. John was also Lead Alto for the Broadway musical “After Midnight”, which traveled to Alaska, Bermuda, Mexico, Colombia, and throughout the Carribean.
John’s jazz background and international travel led to the formation of Projeto Brasileiro, which he founded in 2023 while living in Miami. Most of the arrangements the band does are authentic, straight off the record, note-for-note transcriptions which have been adapted for the group's instrumentation.
Patrick Arthur
Atlanta-based guitarist and composer Patrick Arthur has established a busy schedule performing with some of the top artists in the city. In 2016 he recorded with drummer and saxophonist Morgan Guerin on his debut album “The Saga,” which peaked at #3 on the iTunes jazz charts. Earlier that year he recorded with long-time friend and bass player Travis Shaw on his debut album entitled “Reinvention,” which also featured world-renowned Israeli guitarist/oudist Amos Hoffman. Patrick has also performed with Kebbi Williams, Wycliffe Gordon, Mike Frost, Julie Dexter, Tim Armacost, and the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
He has led his own groups at some of the top venues in Atlanta including Churchill Grounds, the Woodruff Arts Center, Spivey Hall, Buckhead Theater, Center Stage, Elliot Street Pub, and as a sideman in various groups as a part of the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He has also played across the United States with various bands, including his own band “Grüt,” with which he toured the East coast in 2016.
Sam Winternheimer
Sam Winternheimer is an active bassist and educator based in Atlanta, Georgia. Sam performs a wide variety of music with an emphasis on jazz and blues. He has performed throughout the US in festivals such as Summerfest, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Bayview Jazz Festival and the Detroit Jazz Festival, and recently with The Stephen Hull Experience on two international tours across France, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and Scotland, in addition to headlining the Chicago Blues Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Blues Cazorla, and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Sam has also played with artists such as Buddy Guy, James Francies, Sean Ardoin, Kevin Bales, Wes “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Tyrone Jackson, Diego Rivera, Bill Peterson, Derrick Gardner, Tyler Neal, and Joe Grandsen.
Sam’s extensive teaching portfolio includes a four year tenure as bass instructor and combo director at Eastern Illinois University. He also served as bass instructor for the Quattro String Academy, alongside members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and on the Jazz & Contemporary Music faculty for the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. He holds his Bachelor of Music from Michigan State University and his Master of Music from Florida State University.
Jonah Pierre
Jonah Pierre, jazz pianist, world percussionist and composer, is a well known talented musician from Jacksonville FL. He has shared the stage with the region’s top tier jazz players, as well as performing with the Afro Cuban salsa band LPT, the Chris Thomas Band, Backdoor Stompers, and others.
Pierre moved to North Florida as a child, and studied under Tony Steve, the percussion coordinator at Jacksonville University, while in high school. Then, after returning to Jacksonville post-college at Oberlin College, Pierre picked up right where he left off, establishing himself in the Florida music scene and abroad
Pierre draws inspiration from beloved jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. He especially appreciates the evolving nature of Davis’s music throughout the musician’s 50-year career, which he feels mirrors his own style and evolution. Since moving to Atlanta recently, he has performed with many local acts and has established himself as one of the top up and coming jazz pianists in the area.
Adam Hendley
Adam is a singer, drummer, and composer based out of Atlanta, GA. Throughout his 10-year career as a professional drummer, he has worked with artists such as Joe Gransden, the Bill Peterson Trio, Fred Wesley, Katie Skene, the Brown Goose, Kat Hall, the Steve Gilmore Quartet, the Blues Factor Band, Brittany Howard, Duane Betts, and George Clinton.
He has had the opportunity to open for artists such as the Revivalists, the Nth Power, and KRS-1 and to play festivals such as Suwannee Hulaween, Savannah Music Festival, and New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Listen
watch
Bebe
[Hermeto Pascoal]
Domingo em Copacabana
[Elis Regina]
Future Shows
Commune
Decatur GA 11.14.25
Live Recording
Red Light Cafe
Atlanta GA 3.29.26
Album Release Show
Past Shows
Buteco
Atlanta GA - 9.21.25
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Sem Fronteiras Premier
Distillery Of Modern Art
Chamblee GA - 3.22.24
Innagural GA Show
Cafe Songhai
Norcross GA - 10.25.25
Red Light
Cafe
Atlanta GA - 4.28.24
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Live Recording
Village
Hideout
Smyrna GA
Summer 2025 Residency
The Setai Hotel
Miami Beach FL
Summer 2023 Residency
The Fish House
Miami FL 1.8.23
Band Premier
Booking
Now Booking for 2025 Album Release Tour
For booking inquiries, please call or email us at the following:
Phone - 404 729 3722 Email - johnoleary251@gmail.com
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