The BrazilTones

Ronnie Robins was born in Brooklyn, New York and is a veteran of the Portland music scene. In the early 2000's his band Bossamba was a fixture on the local club and festival scene. In 2001, Robins released "Bossamba", a twelve song CD of all original music, influenced by his love affair with the music of Brazil.

Brian Lavern Davis was raised in Portland, Oregon, and his musical studies have taken him to India, Japan, New York, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Jamaica and Brazil. His teachers include Jorge Alabe, Obo Addy, Yacub Addy, Jose Ricardo Santos & Ballet Folklorico do Bahia, Colin Walcott, Michael Spiro, Keith Terry, Los Muñequitos de Mantanzas, Bruno Moraes ( Mocidade Indepente de Padre Miguel), Jorge Martins (Maracatu Estrella Brilhante de Recife), Marcos Suzano, and Nana Vasconcelos. He has served on the faculties of Portland State University, Jefferson Performing Arts High School, and The Vancouver School of Arts & Academics, and conducted residencies at The Naropa Institute, Reed College, Lewis & Clark College, and many others. Brian was an original touring and recording member of Pink Martini (1994-2025)10 CD's, 1DVD, numerous world tours), is the founder and Director of the Lions of Batucada, a Brazilian dance and percussion ensemble, and formed and directed the "Ainsworth Jr. Escola," a 123 member Portland youth samba bateria (Portland, OR, USA (2001-2022). He is an artist in residence with the youth Samba program at Durham School (Tigard, OR, 2021- present). He has toured and/or recorded with jazz legend Herbie Hancock, Kalapana, Upepo, Obo Addy, Dub Squad, McKinley, Dan Reed Network and the show "BataKetu" among many others. He has performed with a variety of symphonies across the U.S., Canada, and Europe - including the Boston Pops, The San Francisco Symphony, The National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, The BBC Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, The Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and The Oregon Symphony - at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall. Brian served as the conductor for the nationwide Oregon Big Beat event, 2010/ 11. His group the Lions of Batucada has shared the stage with David Byrne, Sean Lennon, and Fundo de Quintal among many others. The Lions have performed and collaborated with The Oregon Symphony, The Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Dandy Warhols, Pink Martini, Obo Addy, and rock legends Aerosmith, among others. They have recorded with Pink Martini, and The Von Trapps. He has worked extensively with numerous dance companies in the U.S., including Do Jump Theater, Oslund & Co. , and Linda K Johnson. When not touring or serving as a Carnaval judge in Rio de Janeiro with “Troféu Bateria”, he teaches body percussion and samba throughout the Pacific Northwest as part of the Young Audiences of Oregon and Washington program, teaches each Summer at the California Brazil Camp (2005 - present), and conducts samba workshops for a variety of baterias, schools, and music stores across the U.S., Taiwan, China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame with Pink Martini (June 2014), he has contributed articles to DRUM Magazine (July 2013 ), and was featured in an interview/focus piece in Drumhead Magazine (issue #29, September/October 2011). Brian is sponsored by, and uses the instruments LP (Latin Percussion).