Born in São Paulo in 1950, Paulo Bellinati is recognized as one of Brazil's top contemporary guitarists and his compositions, arrangements and interpretations are considered an essential contribution to Brazilian music and the world of guitar literature.
After graduating from the Conservatory of São Paulo where he studied classical guitar with Isaias Savio, he lived for six years in Switzerland, continuing his musical studies at the prestigious Conservatory of Geneva and teaching at the Conservatory of Lausanne.
Recreating rhythms like lundu, modinha, baião, maxixe, xaxado, choro, and valsa brasileira, his music is being performed and recorded by guitarist like John Williams, Carlos Barbosa Lima, Duo Assad and Cristina Azuma. In 1988 he won the first prize for his solo guitar piece "Jongo", at the "8th Carrefour Mondial de la Guitare", in Martinique.
In 1991, he completed The Guitar Works of Garoto, a CD and two volumes of the printed music released by GSP (Guitar Solo Publications of San Francisco). Played, arranged, transcribed and edited by Paulo Bellinati, it was the result of eight years of research, finding manuscripts and recordings of the brilliant Brazilian guitarist/composer Annibal Augusto Sardinha (Garoto). The project has been acknowledge as a work of great historical significance by such artists as Laurindo de Almeida, Luiz Bonfá, Carlos Barbosa Lima and received a five star rating from "CD Review" magazine.
Paulo Bellinati has five solo recordings and as many with Pau Brasil, one of Brazil's most innovative instrumental ensembles. In 1994 he won the coveted "Premio Sharp" (Brazil's Grammy award) as arranger and principal accompanist for Gal Costa's CD, the critically acclaimed O Sorriso do Gato de Alice. He has recorded, performed and worked as producer and arranger with many important Brazilian musicians including Edu Lobo, Chico Buarque, Leila Pinheiro, and Caetano Veloso.

"With fantastic, precise technique, Paulo is a master of the guitar. His arrangements are trasparent and his compositions clearly show him to be mature musician, capable of realizing that very difficult mixture: the subtleties of classical music blended with the popular music idiom".
Antonio Carlos Jobim

Biography courtesy of Saudades Tourneen

DISCOGRAPHY

The Guitar Works of Garoto, GSP 1002

Serenata "Choros & Waltzes of Brazil", GSP 1005

The Guitar Works of Garoto, Volume 2GSP 61