Caio e Jess

Caio e Jess is a meeting place. A confluence of voice and guitar, of Brazil and the United States, of two artists whose lives and musical histories flow side by side and ultimately merge. Vocalist Jessica Curran and guitarist Caio Afiune, both professors at Berklee College of Music and recipients of honors including the ASCAP Young Composers Award and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, craft music that feels like terrain: lush, atmospheric, and shaped by the elements.

Their sound drifts between the ethereal and the grounded, weaving Brazilian rhythms, jazz harmony, rock colors, and modern textures into immersive landscapes that feel at once intimate and expansive. Poetic lyricism, rich harmonic language, and a synthesis of acoustic instruments and modern technology define their compositions, inviting listeners into worlds where sound becomes story.

Their debut album, Encontro, draws its name from Encontro das Águas, the Meeting of the Waters in northern Brazil, where contrasting rivers touch but do not blend immediately, carrying their own histories while creating something new in their union. This phenomenon reflects the duo’s artistry: two perspectives meeting, holding their individuality, and forming something distinct.

Themes of mental health, compassion, feminism, and cultural identity run through their writing like currents. Produced by Grammy-winner Nic Hard and featuring collaborators including Michael Mayo, Laura Perrudin, and Marissol Mwaba, Encontro brings together voices from around the world in service of a deeply human narrative.

Live, Caio e Jess offer performances that are immersive, textural, and emotionally resonant, whether as a duo or an expanded ensemble. With a sound shaped by two cultures, two musical histories, and one shared vision, they invite audiences into a space where story, identity, and artistry meet.