Gaio de Lima is a professional musician from Rio de Janeiro, living in London since 2007. His repertoire and influences is very diverse and based in everything he has learned in Brazil and around of the World.
Several of his compositions have been recorded by internationally renowned musicians. In addition, he has collaborated with musicians such us Darius Brubeck (the son of Dave Brubeck), Domas Aleksa in Europe and Grupo Fundo de Quintal and Grupo Clareou back in Brazil. In 2007, the song ‘A Paz’ become a national hit in Brazil and in 2012, the tune ‘Favelado’ resulted in great feedback by the media, granting him to perform at Kaunas and Mama Jazz Festivals in Lithuania.
In March 2012 he founded Clube do Choro UK (CCUK), which is the UK’s first choro organisation in history: the only one that promotes the “roda” traditions of choro in the UK. CCUK hosts monthly choro concerts, which are steadily growing in popularity. This year, it received the Brazilian International Press Award and he has established partnerships with the Brazilian Embassy and Chamber of Commerce. CCUK also hosted the UK’s first Choro Festival at BMG Federation this year.
He is also the music director of A Oca. This is a new project directed by Gaio de Lima that explores the rhythms, melodies and dances from the Amazonian and Northern Brazilian folk traditions using bamboo pifano flutes and a healthy dose of Brazilian percussion. This is a traditional orchestration and yet contains such a powerful sound – dancing is an absolute must, not only for the audience but for the musicians too. An ‘oca’ is a traditional indigenous Brazilian house, which is built collectively in around ten days using material from the jungle. The oca is the center of the community and can house six hundred families living in complete harmony!
Gaio is currently studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS university), doing a Master in African music. This he says, it is not only to explores the sounds Africa but also to understand the origins of Brazilian music.
Gaio de Lima: 10 String Mandolin, Cavaquinho, Percussion
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Author: World Music Central News Room
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