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Egberto Gismonti was born in 1947 in Carmo, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
He began his formal music studies at the age of six on the piano.
After studying classical music for 15 years, he went to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger (orchestration and analysis), and composer Jean Barraqué, a disciple of Schönberg and Webber.
Returning to Brazil, Gismonti began to glimpse a reality broader than the classical world of music. He was attracted by Revel’s ideas of orchestration and chord voicings, as well as by "Choro", a Brazilian instrumental popular music where varied kinds of guitars are featured.
To play this music he made the transition from piano to guitar, beginning on the 6-string classical instrument and switching to the 8-string guitar in 1973. He spent two years experimenting with different tunings and searching for new sounds, which is also reflected in his use of flutes, kalimbas, sho, voice, bells, etc.
By the early '70s, he had laid the groundwork for his current conception was listening to musicians as wide-ranging as Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix... For him, Hendrix's achievements were proof that "popular" and "serious" idioms need not remain opposite poles: "There's no difference between the two kinds of music..."
Gismonti's first ECM record Dança das Cabeças (ECM 1089), and a duet set featuring percussionist Nana Vasconcelos, dating from 1977, was nominated Album Of The Year by Stereo Review and received the "Großer Deutscher Schallplattenpreis".
Sol do Meio Dia (ECM 1116) found the duo augmented by saxophonist Jan Gabarek, percussionist Collin Walcott and guitarist Ralph Towner; the session following on a tour featuring Gismonti, the Belonging Quartet and Oregon. Gismonti dedicated this album to the Xingu Indians of the Amazon, with whom he had lived for a period of time in the jungle.
On his following 1979 ECM recording Solo (ECM 1136), he plays 8-string guitar, piano and bells, expressing a pure and comprehensive view of his music.
The next album to present Gismonti was a trio recording entitled Mágico (ECM 1151) with bassist Charlie Haden and saxophonist Jan Gabarek, recorded in 1979. The same year, the trio toured Europe, including a concert at the Berlin Jazz Festival, and recorded a second Mágico album, entitled Folksongs (ECM 1170). In 1981, Gismonti again toured with Haden and Gabarek, performing throughout Europe.
The album Sanfona (ECM 1203/04) is related to the Brazilian roots of his music. It features both group and solo work within the context of a single release. On the first record of his two-disc set, Gismonti is joined by his Brazilian group, Academia de Danças: Mauro Senise (saxophone and flutes), Zeca Assumpção (bass) and Nene (drums and percussion).
On the Solo disc, the emphasis is more decidedly on his guitar playing and on Indian organ improvisation.
In his liner notes for Sanfona, Geraldo Carneiro characterizes Gismonti's offering as
"a trip through Brazilian rhythms, musical forms and popular festivals... symbolizing Brazilian culture in all its breadth from solemn to burlesque."
Duas Vozes (ECM 1279) with Nana Vasconcelos appeared in 1984.
Today Gismonti strives to bring two influences together, Western European music and the music from Brazil.
Dança dos Escravos (ECM 1387), released in 1989, takes him a step further in the direction where the distinction between "serious" and "popular" music doesn't play any role.
His melodic lines have a special, cantible uniqueness. In harmonic terms, Gismonti has found a way of combining two cultures, such as one might also find in the music of Villa-Lobos, Baden Powell or Joao Gilberto. His rhythms, also extremely fragile and carefully constructed, never suffer from a lack of pulsating energy.
Biography courtesy of Saudades Tourneen.
EGBERTO GISMONTI's
DISCOGRAPHY
Albums:
- Egberto Gismonti - 1969 Brazil
- Sonho 70 - 1970 Brazil
- Janela De Ouro - 1970 France
- Computador - 1970 France
- Orfeo Novo - 1971 Germany
- Água & Vinho - 1972 Brazil
- Egberto Gismonti - 1973 Brazil
- Academia De Danças - 1974 Brazil
- Corações Futuristas - 1976 Brazil
- Dança Das Cabeças - 1976 Germany
- Carmo - 1977 Brazil
- Sol Do Meio Dia - 1978 Germany
- No Caipira - 1978 Brazil
- Solo - 1979 Germany
- E. Gismonti & N. Vasconcelos & M. Smetak - 1979 Brazil
- Mágico (with Charlie Haden and Jan Garbarek) - 1980 Germany
- Circense - 1980 Brazil
- Folk Songs (with Charlie Haden and Jan Garbarek) 1981 Germany
- Em Família - 1981 Brazil
- Sanfona - 1980 Germany
- Fantasia - 1982 Brazil
- Guitar (From ECM) - 1982 France
- Sonhos De Castro Alves - 1982 Brazil
- Cidade Coração - 1983 Brazil
- Egberto Gismondi & Hermeto Paschoal - 1983 Brazil
- Works - 1984 Germany
- Egberto Gismonti - 1984 Brazil
- Duaz Vozes - 1985 Germany
- Trem Caipira - 1985 Brazil
- Alma - 1986 Brazil
- Feixe De Luz - 1988 Brazil
- Pagador De Promessas - 1988 Brazil
- Dança Dos Escravos - 1989 Germany
- Kuarup (film music score) - 1989 Brazil
- Duo Gismonti/Vasconcelos (live recording) - 1989 East Germany
- Infância - 1990 West Germany
- Poetic Anthology of Joao Cabral De Mello E Neto - 1979 Brazil
- Poetic Anthology of Ferreira Gullar - 1979 Brazil
- Poetic Anthology of Jorge Amado - 1980 Brazil
- Children's Music (A Viagem Do Vaporzinho Tereré - with Dulce Bressante) - 1980 Brazil
- Children's Music (O Pais Das Águas Luminosas) - 1980 Brazil
- Children's Music (O Girigivel Tereré - with Francis Hime) - 1980 Brazil
- Amazônia (film music score) - 1991 Brazil
- El Viaje (film music score) - 1992 France
- Casa Das Andorinhas - 1992 Brazil
- Musica De Sobrevivência - 1993 Germany
- Egberto Gismonti (Live at the 87 Festival in Freiburg Proscenium - CDV) - 1993 Germany
- Egberto Gismonti (Live at 93 São Paulo - Tom Brazil) - 1993 Brazil
Albums as producer and/or
arranger:
- Dulce - O Samba Do Escritor - 1968 Brazil
- Maysa - 1969 Brazil
- Agostinho Dos Santos - 1969 Brazil
- Marie Laforet - 1970 France
- Johnny Alf - Nós - 1973 Brazil
- Airto Moreira - Identity - 1975 USA
- A Barca Do Sol - 1975 Brazil
- Flora Purim - Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly - 1975 Brazil
- Paul Horn - Altura Do Sol (High Sun) - 1976 USA
- Wanderléia - Vamos Que Eu Já Vou - 1977 Brazil
- Marlui Miranda - Olho D'Agua - 1979 Brazil
- Nana Vasconcelos - Saudades - 1979 Germany
- A Cor Do Som - Intuição - 1984 Brazil
- Bernard Wystraete - Intromission - 1985 France
Production and/or Performances as musician in Carmo/LPs released in Brazil:
- Andre Geraissati - Entre Duas Palavras - 1983
- Nando Carneiro - Violão - 1983
- Luiz Eça - Luiz Eça - 1984
- Robertinho Silva - Bateria - 1984
- Piry Reis - Caminho Do Interior - 1984
- Aleuda - Oferenda - 1984
- Antonio José - Um Mito Uma Coruja Branca - 1984
- Carioca - Sete Dias, Sete Instrumentos, Música - 1984
- Grupo Papavento - Aurora Dorica Para O Embaixador De Jupiter - 1984
- Artistas Carmenses - Carmo Ano - 1985
- Luigi Irlandini - Azul E Areia - 1985
- Mu - Meu Continente Encontrado - 1985
- William Senna - O Homen Do Madeiro - 1985
- Nando Carneiro - Mantra Brasil - 1986
- Luiz Eça, Robertinho Silva and Luiz Alves - Triângulo - 1986
- Marco Bosco - Fragmentos Da Casa - 1986
- Piry Reis - Rio Zero Grau - 1986
- Fernando Falçao - Barracas Barrocas - 1987
Production and/or Performance in Carmo/ECM CD's released outside of Brazil:
- Árvore - Egberto Gismonti, Group and Orchestra - 1991
- Circense - Egberto Gismonti , Group and Orchestra - 1991
- Violão - Nando Carneiro - 1991
- Kuarup - Egberto Gismonti, Group and Orchestra - 1991
- Academia De Danças - Egberto Gismonti, Group and Orchestra - 1992
- Trem Caipira - Egberto Gismonti Group - 1992
- Nó Caipira - Egberto Gismonti, Group and Orchestra - 1992
- Amazônia - Egberto Gismonti Group - 1992
- 7 Dias, 7 Instrumentos, Música - Carioca 1992
Music for Ballet:
- Maracatu - Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballet Stagium - 1974 Brazil
- Corações Futuristas - Choreography of Vitor Navarro with Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Municipal De São Paulo - 1976 Brazil
- Conforme a Altura do Sol, Conforme a Altura da Lua - Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballett Stagium - 1978 Brazil
- Dança Das Cabeças - Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballet Stagium - 1978 Brazil
- Construção - Choreography of Klaus e Angel Vianna - 1978 Brazil
- Sonhos De Castro Alves - Choreography of Antonio Carlos Cardoso with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - Salvador - 1982 Brazil
- Variações - Choreography of Graziela Figuerca with Grupo Coringa - 1984 Brazil
- Pantanal - Choreography of Décio Otero with the Ballet Stagium - 1986 Brazil
- Variações Sobre Villa Lobos - Choreography of Décio Otero with the Ballet Stagium - 1987 Brazil
- Maracatu - Choreography and performance of Ballet Babinka - 1986 Uruguay
- Jogo De Búzios - Choreography of Antonio Carlos Cardoso with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - 1988 Brazil
- Natura - Choreography of Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians - Live music performance in USA - 1988 USA
- Sonhos De Castro Alves 2 - Choreography of Victor Navarro with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - 1988 Brazil
- Inconfidentes - Choreography of various choreographs with the Corpo De Baile De Teatro Palácio Das Artes - 1988 Brazil
- Iemanja - Choreography of Joe Alegado with Tanz-Forum (Opera's Ballet of Cologne) - live music performance
at Philharmonic of Köln - 1990 Germany
- Danças Solitárias - Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera's Ballet of Cologne) - performance
at Philharmonic of Köln - 1990 Germany
- 7 Anéis - Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera's Ballet of Cologne) - performance at
Philharmonic of Köln - 1990 Germany
- Carmen - Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera's Ballet of Cologne) - performance at Köln,
Ludwigsburg and Ludwigshafen - 1993 Germany
Movie Scores:
- A Penúltima Donzela - Directed by Fernando Amaral - 1969 Brazil
- Em Família - Directed by Paulo Porto - 1971 Brazil
Confissões do Frei Abóbora - Directed by Braz Chediak - 1972 Brazil
- Janaina - Directed by Olivier Perroy - 1973 Brazil
Terra do Guaraná - documentary - 1974 Brazil
- Quem tem Medo do Lobisomem - Directed by Reginaldo Farias - 1973 Brazil
- Nem os Bruxos Escaparam - Directed by Valdir Ercolani - 1974 Brazil
- Polichinelo - Directed by Jean Pierre Albicoco - 1975 Brazil
- Raoni - Directed by Jean Pierre Dutilleux - 1976 France
- Parada 88 - Directed by José by Anchieta - 1977 Brazil
- Cruising - Directed by William Frietkin - 1979 USA
- Ato by Violência - Directed by Eduardo Escorel - 1980 Brazil
- Pra Frente Brasil - Directed by Roberto Farias - 1981 Brazil
- Euridyce - Directed by Mauro Alice / Documentary - 1983 Brazil
- Avaeté - Directed by Zelito Vienna - 1985 Brazil
- La Bela Palomera - Directed by Rui Guerra - 1987 Brazil
- Kuarup - Directed by Rui Guerra - 1988 Brazil
- Amazônia - Directed by Monti Aguirre - 1990 USA
- El Viaje - Directed by Fernando Solanas - 1991 Argentina
Music for Special TV series:
- As Nadadoras (Art Video) Tv Manchete - of Mariza Alvares Lima - 1986 Brazil
- ? Diadorim (Art Video) - of José de Anchieta - 1987 Brazil
- Pantanal (Documentary) TV Manchete - of Washington Novaes - 1986 Brazil
- O Pagador De Promessas (Mini-serie of 15 episodes) TV Globo - of Dias Gomes, dir. by Tizuca Yamasaki - 1988 Brazil
- Um Grito Pela Vida - Conservation International Production - Haroldo e Flavia Castro - 1991 USA
- Amazônia Parte II (serie of 120 episodes) TV Manchete - of T. Yamsaki and Regina Braga, dir. Tizuca Yamasaki - 1992 Brazil
- Kuarup (Mini-serie of 5 episodes) TV Manchete - of Rui Guerra - 1992 Brazil
Music for Theater (Brazil):
- Maria Minhoca - by Maria Clara Machado - 1969
- Encontro no Bar - by Braulio Pedroso, dir. by Celso Nunes with Camila Amado and Zanoni Perrite - 1973
- Seria Cômico Se Não Fosse Sério - by Durrenmat, dir. by Celso Nunes with Fernanda Montenegro, Mauro Mendoça and Fernando Torres - 1974
- Festa de Sábado - by Braulio Pedroso & Geraldo Carneiro, dir. by Daniel Filbo and Antonio Pedro with Camila
Amado and Antonio Pedro - 1976
- O Pequeno Príncipe - by Saint Exupery with Carlos Vereza and Susane Carvalho - 1978
- Dor De Amor - by Braulio Pedroso dir. by Paulo Cesar Pereio with Paulo Cesar Pereio and Scarlet Moon - 1976
- Bandeira Dos Cinco Mil Réis - by Geraldo Carneiro, dir. by Aderbal Jr. with Maria Padiha and Marco Nanini - 1985
- Passageiro da Estrela - dir. by Sergio Fonta, with Lidia Brondi - 1984
- O Homen Sobre o Parapeito Da Ponte - by Guy Poissy with Carlos Vereza and Clemente Vizcaino - 1987
- Sonhos De Uma Noite De Verão - by William Shakespeare, dir. by Werner Herzog - 1992
Music for expositions of Painters & Sculptors (all in Brazil):
- Os Muito Universos - by Miralda Pedroso (installation) - 1985
- Ita-Parica (Fragmentos de uma exposiçao) by Miralda Pedroso (installation) - 1985
- Figueira Branca - by Akiko Fujita (Sculpture & Installation) - 1986
- Os Sete Anéis - by Antonio Peticov (Sculpture) - 1986
Written Music for different assembles:
- Music for 48 Strings - dedicated to Igor Strawinsky
- Ritmos & Danças - guitar and Orchestra - dedicated to Léo Brower
- Dança das Sombras - Chamber Orchestra - 1983
- 10 Guitar Studies - 1979/1990
- 10 Strings Quartet - 1987/1990
- Songbook - released by Editions Gismonti - 1989/1990
- 10 Piano Studies - 1989/1990
- Musica de Sobrevivência - Symphonic Music commissioned by Sec. Cultura de São Paulo - 1990
- Realejo - Chamber Orchestra - 1991
- Strawa no Sertão - Chamber Orchestra - 1991
- Cabinda, a cantiga dos Espiritos - (5 movements) Symphonic Music commissioned by Zürich Symphonic Orchestra - 1992
- Imagem & Variações - Symphonic Music commissioned by São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra - 1992
- Strawa no Sertão, Maxixe - Symphonic Music commissioned by Copenhagen Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
- Lundú - Symphonic Music commissioned by Copenhagen Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
- Forró - Symphonic Music commissioned by Orchestra Symphonic of Bahia - 1993
- Frevo - Symphonic Music commissioned by Cordoba Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
- Dança dos Escravos - Symphonic Music commissioned by Cordoba Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
Previous '94 Releases & Works:
- Gismonti & Vasconcelos - Live at '87 Montreux Jazz Festival - Warner Bros. CD
- Gismonti & C. Haden - Live at '89 Montreal Jazz Festival - Polygram Classics CD
- Gismonti & Ars Nova - Gismonti Vocal Music - ECM Records CD
- Livro das Ignorânças - Music based in Manoel de Barros Poems - ECM Records CD
- Casa das Andorinhas - Music for '92 Brazilian TV Series - Carmo/ECM CD
- Bandeira do Brasil - Compilation of E. Gismonti works - Carmo/ECM CD
- Song Book number 2 - Mundiamusic & Ed. Gismonti - Music book - Switzerland
- Music for Strings Quartet - Mundiamusic & Ed. Gismonti - Music book - Swintzerland
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