Mauro Refosco, musical director, ‘David Byrne’s American Utopia’

Pause for a second and reflect upon what it must take to be David Byrne’s musical director. No pressure. For percussionist Mauro Refosco, it’s a gig. A great one, for sure. And he takes it, like he does everything else, in steady rhythm. A Brazilian-born, classically trained drummer, Refosco has been working with Byrne off and on for nearly 30 years. And as “American Utopia” enters the final stage of its Broadway run, we discuss the intricacies of putting on such a dynamic show—wirelessly. We get into his background and his work with Byrne. And we talk a little about Brazilian music and politics. Just a little. We also discuss his beautiful hair.   Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com  Email: [email protected]  Follow along on Facebook: Brooklyn Magazine  Twitter: @brooklynmag  Instagram: @brooklynmagazine  Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: @slarkpope