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Vinicius Cantuaria

Singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, and percussionist, Vinicius Cantuaria is a well-known Brazilian musician in the sphere of Bossa Nova and Jazz.

Born in Manaus, Amazonas, he grew up in Rio de Janeiro, and after several successful records, he moved to New York in the mid-90s. He has proved himself in a number of fields, directly or indirectly linked to Brazilian music. Leader of the rock band “O Terco”, he released six albums in Brazil in the 80s and with his album “Sol na Cara” (Grammavision), was a pioneer of the neo-Brazilian music in 1996. He then became one of the most important downtown New York figures, multiplying collaborations with artists as eclectic as Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson, Brad Mehldau, Arto Lindsay.

As a composer, Cantuaria has had many successes, with “Lua e Estrela” (recorded by Caetano Veloso in 1981), “Coisa Linda,” “So Você,” and “Na Cançao”; as a sideman, he has performed with Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, to only name a few.

In New York, he has released five internationally recognized studio albums “Sol Na Cara”, “Ê“,”ÊVinicius”, “Horse & fish”, “” and signed an artist contract with Naïve in 2008 which released his album “Cymbals”, recorded with top New York musicians, Brad Mehldau, Michael Leonhardt, Dave Binney, and Erik Frielander… Keeping his New York musicians for «ÊSamba cariocaÊ» (2010), Vinicius Cantuaria successfully returned to his Brazilian roots which once again proved to be numerous. Indeed, in addition to his usual New York team (Brad Mehldau, Bill Frisell), Vinicius was this time surrounded by an impressive line-up of Brazilian musicians from all trends and different backgrounds : Arto Lindsay, who produced the album, veterans like Joao Donato or Marcos Valle, and younger musicians, like Dadi or Sidinho.

Vinicius, who owns his studio in New York and frequently travels to Brazil, works every day and progresses in small steps, hence the impression of a simple, melodic, and obvious music, yet so sophisticated.

2011 saw the release of the brilliant and multi-rewarded album «ÊLagrimas MexicanasÊ», a duet with Bill Frisell. Skillfully crafted over more than five years by two long-time collaborators, this magnificent album clearly revealed itself as a marvel of elegance, musicality, and purity, recommended to the widest audience, which was quickly captured.

With «ÊIndio De ApartamentoÊ» (Indian in the Apartment – 2012), his newest album, he confirms this trend and goes even further in brevity and purity, while maintaining an exemplary singularity towards Bossa Nova world. Dedicated to the memory of his mother, who died last year, this solumn and serious album, continues the trend started with “Samba Carioca”, blending New York/cosmopolitain musicians (Bill Frisell, Ryuichi Sakamoto) with Brazilian ones (Dadi, Limihna) while subjecting them to record increasingly varied and different compositions.

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Album Review

Vinicius Cantuaria: Psychedelic Rio

Read "Psychedelic Rio" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright


Formed in Rio in 1968 when he was 17 and Brazil was under military rule, O Terço (The Third/Rosary) was singer-songwriter and guitarist Vinicius Cantuária's first working band. He played drums with the trio, which was, as he put it, “under the influence" of Crosby Stills & Nash. One can hear other psychedelic-folk-rock influences as well. With their first release in 1970 (O Terço, Forma), the group quickly became popular, but--after two successful albums--he left them for greener pastures, joining ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Vinícius Cantuária, Sam Fribush, Haroldo Bontempo, Natalie Cressman & More

Read "Vinícius Cantuária, Sam Fribush, Haroldo Bontempo, Natalie Cressman & More" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


The mighty organ trio of Sam Fribush opens a set mostly devoted to post-bossa nova Brazilian projects. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Sam Fribush “Supper / Make Me a Plate" People Please (Flybird) 0:16 Host talks 5:23 Ricardo Dias Gomes “Morrerei Por Isso" Muito Sol (Hive Mind) 7:14 Host talks 10:31 Haroldo Bontempo “Sobe e desce" Indie Hippie Retrô Brasileiro (YB) 12:10 Amaro Freitas feat. ...

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Album Review

Vinicius Cantuaria: Vinicius Canta Jobim

Read "Vinicius Canta Jobim" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo


Quello di Antonio Carlos Jobim è uno dei songbook più popolari del '900 musicale, qui rivisitato con indubbio estro dal conterraneo Vinicius Cantuaria. Ne discende un Brasile del tutto diverso dai calligrafici omaggi alla bossa nova resi finora. Non mancano però le tracce più aderenti alla più canonica tradizione, con chitarra e strumentazione acustica. L'aura dominante è invece una rischiosa trasposizione musicale, che a seconda dei gusti può lasciare perplessi gli ascoltatori. In primo piano chitarre elettriche ...

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Live Review

Vinicius Cantuaria and Bebel Gilberto at Celebrate Brooklyn

Read "Vinicius Cantuaria and Bebel Gilberto at Celebrate Brooklyn" reviewed by Ernest Barteldes


Vinicius Cantuaria and Bebel Gilberto Brasil Summerfest at Celebrate Brooklyn Brooklyn, New York July 18, 2014 On the opening night of the third edition of the city-wide Brasil Summerfest, guitarist Vinicius Cantuaria took the stage with his quintet. He played a semi-acoustic guitar and started with a syncopated instrumental interlude that led into Gilberto Gil's “Procissão," a tune whose irony-filled lyrics wax critical against the blind faith of religious communities in Brazil. ...

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Album Review

Vinicius Cantuaria: Silva

Read "Silva" reviewed by Ernest Barteldes


Back in the '80s, Vinicius Cantuaria wrote the lullaby-like “Leaozinho, which became a major hit for Caetano Veloso and prompted him to embark on a solo career as a sophisticated pop musician. Although the gamble didn't quite work in Brazil, he found an audience here for his bossa nova-inflected tunes. Today, like many other of his fellow expatriate musicians (Bebel Gilberto and Flora Purim come to mind), his talents are more recognized abroad than in his native land.

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Interview

Vinicius Cantuaria: Brazilian Soul

Read "Vinicius Cantuaria: Brazilian Soul" reviewed by Nenad Georgievski


Brazil is truly a gold mine for musical talents. Every year new Brazilian musicians are brought to the attention of the international community. Some of them are here to stay, but others are excessively hyped, overproduced and their names quickly fade away. The music that Vinicius Cantuaria has created over the last decade represents a bridge between classic bossa nova and the hip 21st Century variations on the Tropicalia sound coming out of Rio De Janiero, New York City and ...

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Album Review

Vinicius Cantuaria: Horse and Fish

Read "Horse and Fish" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


Both stylistically and musically impressive, Brazilian guitarist and singer Vinicius Cantuaria's new recording, Horse and Fish, represents a smooth combination of ethnic pop vocals, bossa nova rhythms and jazz elements. A popular icon in the “world music" arena, Cantuária joins the ranks of other esteemed Brazilian performers like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Flora Purim, Eliane Elias, and Moacir Santos. While the soul of the new recording carries a rich musical tradition, it also proclaims Cantuária's modernistic view, which has been witnessed ...

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Festival

Bray Jazz Back With A Bang Over May Bank Holiday Weekend

Bray Jazz Back With A Bang Over May Bank Holiday Weekend

Source: All About Jazz

Bray Jazz, one of Ireland’s leading music festivals, returns for its 15th edition over the May Bank Holiday weekend with a line-up that would be the envy of much larger festivals. The picturesque seaside town of Bray, the oldest, continuously inhabited coastal town in Ireland, will resound to the sounds of jazz, world music and contemporary fusion over four music-packed days. Headlining Bray Jazz 2014 is the legendary Brazilian guitarist/percussionist Vinicius Cantuária and his quartet, who open the festival at ...

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Recording

Guitar Great Bill Frisell And Brazilian Singer-Songwriter Vinicius Cantuária, Craft A Striking Collaboration, "Lagrimas Mexicanas"

Guitar Great Bill Frisell And Brazilian Singer-Songwriter Vinicius Cantuária, Craft A Striking Collaboration, "Lagrimas Mexicanas"

Source: Lip Service Media

Undoubtedly, Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuária's new album, Lagrimas Mexicanas, epitomizes a union of extraordinary musicians. Frisell's and Cantuária's own music have clearly distinctive origins, but with complimentary styles. Through the blending of emotive rhythms and harmonies, and the melding of classic and experimental sounds, the two artists have found an easy home with one another. Lagrimas Mexicanas is scheduled for release on January 25, 2011 via Entertainment One Music. As a guitarist, composer, and bandleader, Bill Frisell has established ...

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Performance / Tour

Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuaria: Lagrimas Mexicanas out 1/25/11

Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuaria: Lagrimas Mexicanas out 1/25/11

Source: JamBase

DUO WILL TOUR IN 2011 Bill Frisell and Vinicius Cantuaria's new album, Lagrimas Mexicanas, epitomizes a union of extraordinary musicians. Frisell's and Cantuaria's own music have clearly distinctive origins, but with complimentary styles. Through the blending of emotive rhythms and harmonies, and the melding of classic and experimental sounds, the two artists have found an easy home with one another. Lagrimas Mexicanas is scheduled for release on January 25, 2011 via Entertainment One Music. TOUR DATES

February 16 &17 San ...

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Performance / Tour

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Legacy (Tues) Karl Berger & Friends: "In the Spirit of Don Cherry" (Wed) Vinicius Cantuaria Quintet Thu-Sun) at the Iridium Jazz Club

Les Paul (Mon) Mingus Legacy (Tues) Karl Berger & Friends: "In the Spirit of Don Cherry" (Wed) Vinicius Cantuaria Quintet Thu-Sun) at the Iridium Jazz Club

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121 Sets At 8:00 & 10:00PM Effective immediately, minimums are $10/person/set for all show except Les Paul - $15 mins.

EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS TRIO

EVERY TUESDAY MINGUS LEGACY Sets at 8:00 & 10:00PM

Sept. 19 KARL BERGER & FRIENDS: “IN THE SPIRIT OF DON CHERRY" FEAT. ...

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Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Psychedelic Rio

Sunnyside Records
2024

buy

Vinicius Canta Jobim

Sunnyside Records
2015

buy

RSVC

Adventure Music
2013

buy

Lágrimas Mexicana

Entertainment One
2011

buy

Videos

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