Guinga
Encyclopedia
Guinga (born June 10, 1950) is a Brazil
ian guitarist
and composer
born in Madureira
, a working-class suburb of Rio de Janeiro
. As a child, he was nicknamed "Gringo
", because of his pale skin, and the artistic name "Guinga" comes from the way he pronounced the word.
Guinga began composing music at the age of 14. In 1967, when he was 17, his song "Sou Só Solidão" reached the first eliminatory round in Rede Globo
's second Festival Internacional da Canção (International Festival of Song). At the age of 26, he began his five-year classical guitar studies with Jodacil Damasceno.
During the 1970s, Guinga accompanied famous singers such as Beth Carvalho
and João Nogueira
and recorded with samba legends Cartola
and Clara Nunes
. He also began a fertile songwriting partnership with the poet and lyricist Paulo Cesar Pinheiro. Their songs were recorded by important artists like Elis Regina
, Nelson Gonçalves
, Miúcha
, Clara Nunes, and Michel Legrand
.
During the same time, Guinga embarked on a parallel career in dentistry, which he practiced for nearly thirty years.
His music career took off in earnest in 1990, when Ivan Lins
and Vitor Martins formed the Velas label in order to release Guinga's first album, with a repertoire of songs he co-authored with lyricist Aldir Blanc.
Guinga is now widely considered to be Brazil's most innovative songwriter, as well as one of its foremost guitarists.
He is known for drawing on many musical genres, including choro
, samba
, baião
, frevo
, modinha, waltz
, foxtrot, blues
, classical music
, and jazz
. His compositions are often harmonically and rhythmically complex yet melodically accessible and emotionally resonant.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
born in Madureira
Madureira (Rio de Janeiro)
Madureira is a neighborhood in the North Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Its population is basically middle class and lower middle-class, including some shanty towns,...
, a working-class suburb of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. As a child, he was nicknamed "Gringo
Gringo
Gringo is a slang Spanish and Portuguese word used in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries in Latin America, to denote foreigners, often from the United States. The term can be applied to someone who is actually a foreigner, or it can denote a strong association or assimilation into...
", because of his pale skin, and the artistic name "Guinga" comes from the way he pronounced the word.
Biography
His uncle taught him to play the guitar when he was eleven years old.Guinga began composing music at the age of 14. In 1967, when he was 17, his song "Sou Só Solidão" reached the first eliminatory round in Rede Globo
Rede Globo
Rede Globo , or simply Globo, is a Brazilian television network, launched by media mogul Roberto Marinho on April 26, 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Organizações Globo, being by far the largest of its holdings...
's second Festival Internacional da Canção (International Festival of Song). At the age of 26, he began his five-year classical guitar studies with Jodacil Damasceno.
During the 1970s, Guinga accompanied famous singers such as Beth Carvalho
Beth Carvalho
Elizabeth Santos Leal de Carvalho is a Brazilian samba singer, guitarist, cavaquinist and composer.-Biography:...
and João Nogueira
João Nogueira
João Nogueira was a Brazilian singer and composer, famous for his samba compositions. He was born in Rio de Janeiro....
and recorded with samba legends Cartola
Cartola
Angenor de Oliveira, known as Cartola , was a Brazilian singer, composer and poet considered to be a major figure in the development of samba.Cartola composed, alone or with partners, more than 500 songs.-Biography:...
and Clara Nunes
Clara Nunes
Clara Nunes; August 12, 1943 – April 2, 1983) was a samba singer, regarded as one of the greatest of her generation. She became the first female singer in Brazil to sell over 100,000 copies, and her achievements in the samba genre earned her the title of "Queen of Samba".She had enormous...
. He also began a fertile songwriting partnership with the poet and lyricist Paulo Cesar Pinheiro. Their songs were recorded by important artists like Elis Regina
Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing Arrastão in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record...
, Nelson Gonçalves
Nelson Gonçalves
Nelson Gonçalves was a Brazilian singer and songwriter.Born Antônio Gonçalves Sobral in Santana do Livramento, Rio Grande do Sul, he was raised in São Paulo...
, Miúcha
Miúcha
Heloísa Maria Buarque de Hollanda , whose artistic name is Miúcha, is a Brazilian singer and composer. She is the daughter of historian Sérgio Buarque de Holanda by Maria Amélia Cesário Alvim and sister of the singer and composer Chico Buarque and two other singers Ana de Hollanda and Cristina...
, Clara Nunes, and Michel Legrand
Michel Legrand
Michel Jean Legrand is a French musical composer, arranger, conductor, and pianist...
.
During the same time, Guinga embarked on a parallel career in dentistry, which he practiced for nearly thirty years.
His music career took off in earnest in 1990, when Ivan Lins
Ivan Lins
Ivan Guimarães Lins is a Latin Grammy winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music and jazz for over 30 years. His first hit, Madalena, was recorded by Elis Regina in 1970. Beyond his own performance of his compositions, Simone is his most...
and Vitor Martins formed the Velas label in order to release Guinga's first album, with a repertoire of songs he co-authored with lyricist Aldir Blanc.
Guinga is now widely considered to be Brazil's most innovative songwriter, as well as one of its foremost guitarists.
He is known for drawing on many musical genres, including choro
Choro
Choro , traditionally called chorinho , is a Brazilian popular music instrumental style. Its origins are in 19th century Rio de Janeiro. In spite of the name, the style often has a fast and happy rhythm, characterized by virtuosity, improvisation, subtile modulations and full of syncopation and...
, samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
, baião
Baião
The baião is a Northeast Brazilian rhythmic formula that became the basis of a wide range of music. Forró, côco, and embolada are clear examples...
, frevo
Frevo
Frevo is a wide range of musical styles originating from Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, all of which are traditionally associated with Brazilian Carnival. The word frevo is said to come from frever, a misspeaking of the Portuguese word ferver . It is said that the sound of the frevo will make...
, modinha, waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
, foxtrot, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. His compositions are often harmonically and rhythmically complex yet melodically accessible and emotionally resonant.
Discography
- Simples e Absurdo (1991) Velas
- Delírio Carioca (1993) Velas
- Cheio de Dedos (1996) Velas
- Suíte Leopoldina (1999) Velas
- Cine Baronesa (2001) Velas
- Noturno Copacabana (2003) Velas
- Graffiando Vento - Guinga & Gabriele Mirabassi (2004) Egea
- Casa de Villa (2007) Biscoito Fino
External links
- Guinga's Website
- Guinga Discography, including all his tunes recorded by others
- Guinga Rising, an article about the composer's life and work by Daniella Thompson