
Chico Amaral |
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Chico Amaral belongs to a generation of musicians that
positioned themselves between the ones from Clube
da
Esquina and the ones from the contemporary
musical scenario of Minas Gerais. He can easily
navigate among different styles such as MPB, Pop and
Instrumental Music (in its most refined expression). In this
way he shows us an open playing style, which appeals to
different types of audience.
That is Chico Amaral’s goal with his most recent CD
Provincia, to reach a broader audience with the
quality of the actual Brazilian music. This artist considers
the music from Minas Gerais appropriate for improvisation,
as well as Jazz, Bossa Nova and the Brazilian instrumental
music. The need for development and research in this
peculiar way of making music is what most justifies such
project as Amaral’s. It’s good to know that Minas Gerais is
the cradle of this musical art. In these past few years,
along with his Quartet, Chico Amaral has been playing the
music composed by highly qualified musicians from Minas and
finally consolidated these works in this new CD.
In Provincia you’ll find tracks composed,
arranged and performed by those talented musicians,
gathering three generations of artists, enhancing the
musical quality of Instrumental scenario in Minas Gerais.
He was born in Belo Horizonte. A complete musician, he can
play saxophone, flute, piano, guitar, besides composing and
writing song lyrics. He studied guitar and theory in State
of Minas Gerais Federal University Music Conservatory.
He started his career in 1979, in the musical group playing
choro Naquele Tempo and he has played with Altamiro
Carrilho and Cartola.
He appeared in Brazil as a partner of Samuel Rosa in the
songs of the Skank group. This partnership led the group to
be the leader in radio playing in Brazil for several times.
Chico Amaral joined the group, as a saxophone player, for
several years, in Brazil as well as abroad. He took part in
several tours, having played with the band in Rock`n`Rio
(Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), Montreux Festival
(Switzerland) and in many other cities around the world.
Besides Skank, he participated in the work of several other
artists, in concerts or records. He played electric guitar
with Marcus Vianna in the group Sagrado Coração da Terra;
and also with Lulu Santos in the record Assim Caminha a
Humanidade; played in a concert with Jorge Benjor. He was a
guest participant of performances by Nivaldo Ornelas. As a
composer, he was recorded by several names in Brazilian
Popular Music (MPB), such as Daniela Mercury, Ivete Sangalo,
Milton Nascimento, Ney Matogrosso, Cidade Negra.
Young artists from the state of Minas Gerais such as Alda
Resende, Angela Evans, Marina Machado, Kadu Viana, Amaranto,
Anthonio, Regina Souza and Maurício Tizumba, among others,
also recorded songs of his authorship.
Chico Amaral has composed with several artists, besides
Samuel Rosa. Among his partners are Milton Nascimento, Lô
Borges, Beto Guedes, Ed Motta, Erasmo Carlos, Flávio
Henrique, Juarez Moreira and others.
He wrote chronicles in 2001 for the newspaper “Estado de
Minas”, and, in 2002, participated in the tribute record for
the centenary of Carlos Drummond de Andrade (in this project
each guest recites a poem) sided with names from the
Brazilian culture. From 2004 to middle of 2005 he kept a
column title Música etc in the newspapers Estado de Minas
and Correio Brasiliense.
In 2002, he recorded an instrumental CD, named
Livramento, in partnership with Flávio Henrique, also
with the participation of Milton Nascimento, Ed Motta and
Marina Machado in sung tracks. Still in partnership with
Flávio, he co-produced the CD “Baile das Pulgas” by the
singer Marina Machado.
His partnership with Milton Nascimento, Pietá, was
nominated to run as best song in the Latin Grammy Award in
2003. He won the Multishow award for best song in
2004, with the song Vou Deixar, in partnership with
Samuel Rosa.
In 2005, he composed the sound track and the CD Identidades
for Grupo Corpo, in the project Corpo Cidadão and
produced the CD Aquele verbo agora, by the artist Vander
Lee with special participations in the opening concert. This
CD ran for a nomination for Best of the Year, in Tim Music
Award.
In 2006, he composed, with Milton Nascimento, the song Balé
da Utopia for the movie by Marcelo Santiago. He also
composed, with Skank, the last CD of the band, titled Carrossel.
He was interviewed for the book Palavras Musicais, by Paulo
Vilara, together with the lyricists Fernando Brant, Márcio
Borges and Murilo Antunes.
In 2007, he released his CD Singular,
further the DVD Hotel
Maravilhoso, the latter in partnership with Flávio
Henrique and Marina Machado.
The same year, as a saxophone player, he won the BDMG award
of instrumental music composers.
His partnership with Leo Minax in the song Tempo de
Samba was part of the soundtrack of the movie Pudor,
Spanish production by Tristán Ulloa and David Ulloa.
He took part as a member and soloist of the Maria Schneider
Big Band in the Ouro Preto Jazz festival, in
September 2007, Tudo é Jazz.
Besides playing nights with his quartet, which plays “jazz mineiro” (Minas Gerais
state jazz), he acts in the group Lado B, of instrumental music by Milton Nascimento, with two of the Milton`s band musicians, drums
player Lincoln Cheib and guitar player Wilson Lopes, and
also bass player Beto Lopes and Celso Alves, trumpet and
vocals. He composed the soundtrack of the short film Diário
Do Não Ver by Cristina Maure and Joana Oliveira and Rua Do
Amendoim by João Vargas.
At night in Belo Horizonte you´ll find the duo Chico Amaral
and Celso Moreira playing classics from MPB: Pixinguinha,
Nelson Cavaquinho, Cartola, Caymmi, Ary Barroso, Tom Jobim,
João Gilberto and many others. And they do it in a very
lyrical, melodical way, exploring the harmonic and rhythmic
richness of the Brazilian music adding a ‘’jazzy spice’’ to
their performances.
On the 25th of July, 2012, Chico Amaral was awarded with the
Savassi Jazz Festival prize.
He presented his new instrumental Album Provincia in the opening evening of
this Festival at Palacio das Artes.
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