"My art is that of holding sacred space. The degree to which I can hold space musically or in silence, on a stage or with a client on the treatment table, determines if magic will happen. Whether we are dealing with the space between notes or the space between breaths, the healing power of my work happens when I get out of the way and allow Spirit to move through me."
Poranguí is a world-renowned musician, composer, and therapeutic bodyworker who blends ancestral sounds and indigenous rhythms from around the globe to foster our individual and collective well-being. Through his live performances, which he creates from scratch using looping technology, he takes his audiences on a sonic journey that ranges from meditative to exhilarating, moving the body and elevating the spirit. As he puts it, "My art is that of holding sacred space. The degree to which I can hold space musically or in silence, on a stage or with a client, determines if magic will happen. Whether we are dealing with the space between notes or the space between breaths, the healing power of my work happens when I get out of the way and allow Spirit to move through me."
“Growing up among such different worlds (cultural, linguistic, spiritual) challenged me as a child. Now I look back and see the blessing it afforded me, to serve as a bridge for others. It taught me to appreciate the salient threads that connect us in our collective human experience. It informs my art and pushes me to find new ways to tell the stories of our ancestors in a way that we can all hear it.”
Born in Brazil to a Brazilian mother and Chicano father, Poranguí grew up steeped in rich musical, healing, and ceremonial traditions from Brazil, Mexico, and the Southwestern U.S. He attended a Jesuit Catholic high school in Arizona, spending weekends with his mother in Native American communities, where he learned to bridge the salient threads that connect us in our collective human experience.
Poranguí's interdisciplinary career has embraced many opportunities. He has taught on the faculty of the Phoenix Conservatory of Music, been recognized as a Teaching Artist for the Arizona Commission on the Arts since 2008, and focused on providing a safe and fun environment for all learners to explore their inherent creativity and musicality. He has designed curriculum for community and state agencies, worked extensively in the field of behavioral health and prevention, and had the privilege of working with marginalized youth in Brazil and the U.S., using the arts to build resiliency and community.
As a musician proficient in world percussion, guitar, voice, and numerous indigenous instruments including didgeridoo and pre-Columbian flutes, Poranguí has been featured on albums ranging from Latin jazz to Brazilian batucada, and his musical compositions have been used in independent theatrical and film productions. He has released several solo albums to date and countless remixes including his debut album “Ayahuasca” in 2016, a self-titled live album “Poranguí” in 2019, and a new solo studio album, “Beauty Way” in 2023. Poranguí has collaborated with many incredible artists such as Rising Appalachia, Desert Dwellers, Dirtwire, Shaman’s Dream, Liquid Bloom, Ayla Nereo, and many others, and has performed internationally at renowned venues and events such as The Chopra Institute, TEDx, Lightning in a Bottle, Envision, Bali Spirit Fest, Boom (Portugal), SXSW, and OZORA (Hungary).
Poranguí's interdisciplinary career has embraced many opportunities. He has taught on the faculty of the Phoenix Conservatory of Music, been recognized as a Teaching Artist for the Arizona Commission on the Arts since 2008, and focused on providing a safe and fun environment for all learners to explore their inherent creativity and musicality. He has designed curriculum for community and state agencies, worked extensively in the field of behavioral health and prevention, and had the privilege of working with marginalized youth in Brazil and the U.S., using the arts to build resiliency and community.
As a musician proficient in world percussion, guitar, voice, and numerous indigenous instruments including didgeridoo and pre-Columbian flutes, Poranguí has been featured on albums ranging from Latin jazz to Brazilian batucada, and his musical compositions have been used in independent theatrical and film productions. He has released several solo albums to date and countless remixes including his debut album “Ayahuasca” in 2016, a self-titled live album “Poranguí” in 2019, and a new solo studio album, “Beauty Way” in 2023. Poranguí has collaborated with many incredible artists such as Rising Appalachia, Desert Dwellers, Dirtwire, Shaman’s Dream, Liquid Bloom, Ayla Nereo, and many others, and has performed internationally at renowned venues and events such as The Chopra Institute, TEDx, Lightning in a Bottle, Envision, Bali Spirit Fest, Boom (Portugal), SXSW, and OZORA (Hungary).
“Approaching music from beyond the perspective of an entertainer, but rather as a healer, my intention is always to help move the energy in a space. How can I support this audience, these fellow humans, to shake off their funk and remember what it means to be free and fully expressed, what it means to love and be loved, what it means to be more authentically human.”
In his parallel practice as a therapeutic bodyworker, Poranguí draws on his academic background in neuroscience, his family legacy in the healing arts, and his training as a licensed massage therapist. His "Myorhythmic Release" technique combines the healing properties of sound, movement, and breath, supporting clients from all backgrounds and health conditions in finding freedom from the limitations and suffering of old patterns and trauma.
Poranguí's masterful integration of music, healing arts, and arts education makes him an invaluable source of inspiration and empowerment for retreats, arts centers, school programs, festivals, and special events alike. His commitment to this diverse creative practice goes beyond mere profession – it is his life's calling. Through his work, he strives to bring the stories of our ancestors to life, weaving them seamlessly into our modern culture and inspiring us all to listen with open hearts and embodied minds.
Poranguí's masterful integration of music, healing arts, and arts education makes him an invaluable source of inspiration and empowerment for retreats, arts centers, school programs, festivals, and special events alike. His commitment to this diverse creative practice goes beyond mere profession – it is his life's calling. Through his work, he strives to bring the stories of our ancestors to life, weaving them seamlessly into our modern culture and inspiring us all to listen with open hearts and embodied minds.