Celso Machado: Afro-Brazilian Classical Guitarist & Composer

Celso Machado is an Afro-Brazilian composer, guitarist, lyricist and singer. He has a new CD, Jogo da Vida. The works Machado writes and performs are played by guitarists in both classical and world music genres. He was born in Ribeiro Preto, Brazil on January 27, 1953. At age seven he began performing in street bands. Machado first performed in Canada in 1986; he moved there in 1989. His many CDs consist of music composed by himself and others. His recordings, compositions and awards are listed at his Web site: www.CelsoMachado.com

Machado has composed sound tracks for several documentary films. His score for the film In the Company of Fear won a Leo Award in 2000 in Canada. Publication of Machado's sheet music has resulted in many performances by other guitarists. The French firm Éditions Henry Lemoine has published a volume of his music, Musiques populaires brésilliennes pour flûte et guitare.

Machado has adopted rhythms and musical instruments from many cultures. He teaches master classes for guitar. Three of his CDs have been nominated for Canadian Juno Awards: Varal, Surucua Art Productions 002 (1997); Jongo Lê, Daqui (1999); and Capivara, Surucua Art Productions (2005).

Classical guitarist Adam Khan includes five works of Celso Machado in his current performance repertoire. The long list of classical guitarists who have recorded Machado's works includes the Canadian Guitar Trio, Gerald Garcia, Zsofia Boros, Walter Stoiber, Winfried Stegmann, David Nutall, Timothy Kain, Neil Anderson, William Buonocore and Pasquale Bianculli.

The online music shop of CBC Records, http://www.cbcshop.ca/, says Machado's newest CD, Jogo da Vida, CBC 3021, represents a substantial departure from his previous recording projects. The CD was released in Canada on July 3, 2007; its U.S. release date is August 28, 2007, according to Naxos, its U.S. Distributor.

Performers on Jogo da Vida are Celso Machado, acoustic guitar, vocal and percussion; Carlinhos Machado, electric guitar; Cyro Baptista, percussion; David Virelles, piano; Rich Brown, electric bass; Guiomar Campbell, vocals and percussion; and Eliana Cuevas, vocals.