A native of Bahia, Brazil, versatile multi-instrumentalist Almir Côrtes is equally at home on mandolin, acoustic & electric guitars, viola caipira (Brazilian ten-string guitar) and the rarely-seen Bahian guitar. His repertoire of styles is equally broad, including choro, frevo, samba, maxixe and Brazilian jazz. Almir has performed with David Grisman, Mike Marshall, Nailor Proveta, Howard Alden, Armandinho Macêdo and many other luminaries, as well as leading his own Trio. Equally in demand as a teacher and scholar, Almir is currently a professor at the University of Rio de Janeiro’s Villa-Lobos Institute, after several years collaborating at Unicamp (University of Campinas), one of Latin America’s most prestigious universities. He has been a visiting artist at Indiana, San Francisco State, and the Latin Music and Culture Celebration, organized by Berklee College of Music.

“Almir is a virtuoso instrumentalist who swings like mad in a variety of musical styles and improvises with great energy and creativity. He is a world class teacher and performer on mandolin and guitar.” 

—Mandolin master Mike Marshall

“Almir is redesigning the Brazilian guitar, making it the protagonist of choros, frevos, ballads, with personality and virtuosity; seeking new paths but always on the roads of his native country.”

—Ulisses Rocha, Professor at Unicamp Institute of the Arts