Fabiano Do Nascimento & Vitor Santos Orchestra — Vila (2026)
Fabiano Do Nascimento has a new recording titled Vila, an exquisitely-crafted collaborative album with a 16-piece orchestra led by trombonist and arranger Vitor Santos.
The album takes its title from Bairro Saavedra, a secluded courtyard in Rio de Janeiro’s Catete neighborhood where Do Nascimento spent much of his childhood. Built in 1928, the site sits behind a cast-iron gate and features stunning neocolonial houses, wooden shutters, tiled floors, and courtyard benches. That setting influenced the concept of the project.
Recorded in Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles, Vila presents Do Nascimento’s elegant, impeccable and moving guitar-oriented compositions in dialogue with masterful, lush orchestral arrangements and interplay by Santos. Furthermore, Vila features a well-balanced mix of intimate and lively passages.
Do Nascimento has developed a reputation as a Brazilian acoustic guitar player with ties to diverse musical scenes. He has collaborated with Arthur Verocai, Airto Moreira, and Itiberê Zwarg. At the same time, his work in Los Angeles has connected him to jazz and experimental artists including Sam Gendel and Carlos Niño.
Santos, meanwhile, has worked extensively as both an arranger and trombonist in Brazilian music. His credits include work with João Donato, Marcos Valle, Toninho Horta, and Elza Soares.
Musicians: Fabiano do Nascimento on 6-string, 7-string and soprano guitars; Francisco Gonçalves on oboe; Rodrigo Villa on double bass; Márcio Bahia on drums; Ricardo Amado on violin; Thiago Teixeira on violin; Daniel Albuquerque on violin; Márcio Sanches on violin; Ivan Zandonade on viola; Dhyan Toffolo on viola; Hugo Pilger on cello; Janaína Salles on cello; Rômulo Gomes on double bass; José Batista on clarinet; Philip Doyle on french horn; Vittor Santos on trombones; Daniel Guedes on violin.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.