Born on February 29, 1988, in São Paulo, Brazil, Leo, the son of a musician, has been soaking in music forever. His musical journey started with classical guitar, shifting to electric guitar and popular acoustic after four years of classical training. At 16, he started giging with big Brazilian names like Seu Jorge, Paula Lima, Léo Maia, João Parahyba (Trio Mocotó), Casa das Máquinas, and more.

 

In 2011, Leo got the gig of a lifetime playing the Brazilian national anthem at WGP Kickboxing events, rocking the biggest arenas in São Paulo, broadcast live worldwide. On the 2012 tour with Casa das Máquinas band, he left his mark on the "Brazilian rock fame sidewalk." In 2016, Leo joined the Broadway revival of Godspell, handling guitar, acoustic, and ukulele at Teatro das Artes in São Paulo. Apart from being a sideman, Leo's been teaching guitar since 2005, the same year he set up his home studio, producing albums, soundtracks, and jingles for various artists.

 

From 2017 to 2020, Leo was a recurring at the NAMM Show in California, playing performances and talks for four straight years. In January 2018, during one of his Los Angeles trips, he laid down tracks for his debut solo album, "Arranged & Spontaneous Sessions," featuring special guests like Carl Verheyn (Supertramp), Faiska, Sandro Haick, among others. You can catch the quintet belting out the album's repertoire live on YouTube in a studio session.

 

Leo graduated in music from Cantareira University in 2015. In 2022, he received a full scholarship for a master's in guitar performance at Utah State University, making the move to the US in August of the same year. He was immediately asked to teach and join various projects as a teacher and musician. As a performer, Leo has played in diverse projects like the USU Jazz Orchestra and Caine Jazz Combo, musicals such as "One Man, Two Guvnors" and "Spotlight," not to mention numerous solo, duo, and trio gigs.

 

The collaboration known as "Duet Paty & Leo" with his wife Paty Fernandes took shape in 2020, unveiling the album "Da Nossa Terra." After the pandemic, they graced Brazil's most prestigious hotels and event venues in the subsequent year. In April 2023, the Duet Paty & Leo got the call to record alongside drummer Danny Gottlieb (The Pat Metheny Group, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gil Evans' Orchestra). In December 2023, the duo jetted off to Paris to throw down at Charisma Eglise Chrétienne. Leo wrote arrangements and crafted a spectacle for an audience of 5,000, plus a live stream with a band and a choir of over 40 musicians.

 

In July 2024, after earning his master's degree in guitar performance, Leo returned to Europe for the second time to perform at five major jazz festivals, including the Umbria Jazz Festival.