Brazilian Jazz Guitar Analysis: Mastering Nelson Faria’s Style

If you’ve spent any time digging into contemporary Brazilian music, the name Nelson Faria starts showing up everywhere. As a master of the MPB scene (Brazilian popular music) and the author of the essential Brazilian Guitar Book, Faria’s playing is a masterclass in rhythm and harmonic sophistication.

In this lesson, we are breaking down his solo on “Brooklyn High” from the album Vento Bravo by Nosso Trio. This solo is a perfect example of how to combine complex jazz harmony with the soulful, syncopated feel of Brazilian music—skills we often focus on in my Online Guitar Lessons.

The Harmonic Foundation

“Brooklyn High” is built on a 32-bar A section with a straightforward Cm progression, but the beauty lies in the substitutions.

Chromatic Voice Leading: The B section uses chromatic inner movement (shifting from Ab to A natural to Bb) to pivot between minor and dominant sounds.

The Db6/9 Chord: Faria often uses this as a substitute for Fm7. In my online guitar coaching, I show students how this creates a “Lydian” flavor that adds modern color to a standard minor blues feel.

Key Techniques to Learn

1. The “Faria Lick”

Throughout the second chorus, Faria uses a specific four-note cell derived from the Altered Scale (the 7th mode of Melodic Minor).

The Takeaway: While it starts as a harmonic tool, Faria eventually uses it as a rhythmic chromatic device. This shows that a strong melodic shape is often more important than “perfect” note choices.

2. Brazilian Rhythmic Phrasing

Most Brazilian melodies in this style float over the downbeat. By playing almost exclusively on the upbeats, Faria implies the partido alto rhythm without needing a full percussion section.

3. The Art of “Bar Line Shifts”

Faria frequently anticipates the next chord change by a beat or two. For example, playing an Ebmaj7 arpeggio over a G7 chord to signal the coming Cm7. This creates a “slippery” tension that resolves perfectly when the band catches up.

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3 Lessons to Improve Your Improvisation

Technique	How to Apply It
Ignore the II Chord	In a II-V-I, skip the II and focus on the V-I tension. It simplifies your thinking at high tempos.
Arpeggio Substitutions	Use a Cm7 sound over an F9 chord. It highlights common tones while avoiding “busy” note choices.
Phrasing over Theory	If a melody is singable and played with conviction, it can contradict the chord and still sound great.

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Master Brazilian Guitar Styles via Zoom

Analyzing Nelson Faria is one thing; executing these lines is another. If you want to dive deeper into online guitar lessons focused on jazz improvisation, Brazilian rhythms, or advanced theory, I can help you bridge the gap.