LONG BEACH, Wash. — Rio Con Brio will bring Brazilian choro music to the Peninsula Arts Center for a concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7.

Rio Con Brio began in 2006 as a vehicle for virtuoso mandolinist Tim Connell to indulge his burgeoning obsession with the Brazilian national choro music. Joined by fellow gypsy jazz string player Mike Burdette, the two soon accumulated a large repertoire of these quirky instrumental tunes from early 20th century Brazil— preceding the samba, bossa nova and MPB — complex yet accessible, exotic yet familiar — and all addictively danceable.

By 2008, the duo found themselves performing all over the Northwest and, by 2010, across North America. Rio Con Brio has been a staple of Brazilian music and mandolin events and, due to their technique and Connell’s adventurous improvisation, have also been featured in traditionally classical concert series and jazz festivals. Rio Con Brio has recorded three acclaimed albums of choro music and have performed with top Brazilian musicians, including Trio Brasilerio, Choro das Tres and Almir Cortes.

Connell is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and a virtuoso mandolinist with over 20 years professional performing experience. Connell has created a sophisticated and original global mandolin style. Regarded as one of the top North American interpreters of Brazilian choro, he has also developed his own unique voice for the instrument, described in a recent Mandolin Magazine cover story as “fiery and energetic, soulful and evocative.”

Connell has performed alongside top Brazilian musicians including Dudu Maia, Alessandro Penezzi and Eduardo Neves. He collaborates with jazz clarinet superstar Harvey Wainapel and the Berkeley Choro Ensemble and performed in the premiere of Wainapel’s new piece at the Berkeley Festival of Choro in May 2015. He has performed with a roster of the greatest living American mandolinists, including David Grisman, Mike Marshall, Don Stiernberg, Rich Del Grosso, Chris Acquvella and many others.

Burdette has been performing Brazilian choro and gypsy jazz guitar for the past seven years with many of Portland’s best, including Jason Okamoto, David Stassens and Joseph Appel. His pursuit of excellence in these styles has led him to study with many of today’s leading players, including Mike Marshall and Choro Famoso, Dudu Maia, Douglas Lora, and Don Stiernberg. He also builds and repairs instruments for many of Portland’s finest players at Portland Fretworks, and pickers throughout the Northwest enjoy playing on frets he has installed. He lives in rural Newberg with his wife, chickens and honeybees.

The Peninsula Arts Center is located at 504 Pacific Ave. N. Admission is $15 at the door or online through Brown Paper Tickets, or call Bill at 360-901-0962. Wine, beer, and other refreshments are available for purchase.

Concerts benefit the Long Beach Peninsula Acoustic Music Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization.