Egberto Amin Gismonti (born December 5, 1947 in Carmo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian composer, guitarist and pianist.
Gismonti began his formal music studies at the age of six on piano. After studying classical music for 15 years, he went to Paris to study orchestration and analysis with Nadia Boulanger and the composer Jean Barraqué, a disciple of Schoenberg and Webern. After his return to Brazil, Gismonti began to explore other musical genres. He was attracted by Ravel's approach to orchestration and chord voicings, as well as by "choro", a Brazilian instrumental popular music featuring various types of guitars. In order to play this music he learned to play guitar, beginning on the 6-string classical instrument and switching to a ten-stringed guitar in 1973. He spent two years experimenting with different tunings and searching for new sounds. This exploration of timbre is further reflected in his use of kalimbas, Shō, voice, bells, etc. By the early '70s, he had laid the groundwork for his current style which incorporated elements drawn from musicians as wide-ranging as Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix. In the 1970s and 1980s he collaborated several times with Nana Vasconcelos recording for ECM. Some best-selling albums such as the Brazilian released eponymous Egberto Gismonti were never officially released internationally
Discography
Albums:
Egberto Gismonti (Elenco [Brazil], 1969)
Sonho 70 (Polygram [Brazil], 1970)
Janela De Ouro - 1970 - France
Computador - 1970 - France
Orfeo Novo - 1971 - Germany
Água & Vinho - 1972 - Brazil
Arvore - 1973 - Brazil
Academia De Danças - 1974 - Brazil
Coraçoes Futuristas - 1976 - Brazil
Dança Das Cabeças (ECM, 1977) with Nana Vasconcelos
Carmo - 1977 - Brazil
Sol Do Meio Dia (ECM, 1978)
No Caipira - 1978 - Brazil
Solo (ECM, 1979)
E. Gismonti & N. Vasconcelos & M. Smetak - 1979 - Brazil
Magico (ECM, 1979) with Charlie Haden and Jan Garbarek
Circense - 1980 - Brazil
Folk Songs (ECM, 1981) with Charlie Haden and Jan Garbarek
Em Familia - 1981 - Brazil
Sanfona (ECM, 1981) solo and with Academia de Dancas
Frevo - 1980 - Brazil (EMI Odeon)
Fantasia - 1982 - Brazil
Guitar From ECM - 1982 - France
Sonhos De Castro Alves - 1982 - Brazil
Cidade Coraçao - 1983 - Brazil
Egberto Gismondi & Hermeto Pascoal - 1983 - Brazil
Works (ECM, 1984)
Egberto Gismonti - 1984 - Brazil
Duas Vozes (ECM, 1985) with Nana Vasconcelos
Trem Caipira - 1985 - Brazil
Alma - 1986 - Brazil
Feixe De Luz - 1988 - Brazil
Pagador De Promessas - 1988 - Brazil
Dança Dos Escravos (ECM, 1989)
Kuarup - 1989 - film music score - Brazil
Duo Gismonti/Vasconcelos Jazzbuhne Berlin - 1989 - live recording - East Germany
Infância (ECM, 1990)
Poetic Anthology of Joao Cabral De Mello E Neto - 1979 - Brazil
Poetic Anthology of Ferreira Gullar - 1979 - Brazil
Poetic Anthology of Jorge Amado - 1980 - Brazil
Children's Music - A Viagem Do Vaporzinho Tereré - with Dulce Bressante - 1980 - Brazil
Children's Music - O Pais Das Aguas Luminosas - 1980 - Brazil
Children's Music - O Girigivel Tereré - with Francis Hime - 1980 - Brazil
Amazônia - 1991 - film music score - Brazil
El Viaje - 1992 - film music score - France
Casa Das Andorinhas' - 1992 - Brazil
Música de Sobrevivência - 1993 - Germany (ECM)
Egberto Gismonti - 1993 - Live at the 87 Festival in Freiburg Proscenium - CDV - Germany
Egberto Gismonti - 1993 - Live at 93 São Paulo -Tom Brazil - Brazil
Zigzag - 1996 (ECM)
Meeting Point - 1997 (ECM)
In Montreal - 2001 (ECM) with Charlie Haden
Saudacoes - 2009 (ECM) with Alexandre Gismonti
Magico: Carta de Amor - 2012 (ECM) Live archive from 1981 with Haden & Garbarek
Albums as producer and/or arranger:
Dulce - O Samba Do Escritor - 1968 - Brazil
Maysa - 1969 - Brazil
Agostinho Dos Santos - 1969 - Brazil
Marie Laforet - 1970 - France
Johnny Alf - Nos - 1973 - Brazil
Airto Moreira - Identity - 1975 - USA
A Barca Do Sol - 1975 - Brazil
Flora Purim - Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly - 1975 - Brazil
Paul Horn - Altura Do Sol (High Sun) - 1976 - USA
Wanderléa - Vamos Que Eu Ja Vou - 1977 - Brazil
Marlui Miranda - Olho D’Agua - 1979 - Brazil
Nana Vasconcelos - Saudades (ECM, 1979)
A Cor Do Som - Intuição - 1984 - Brazil
Bernard Wystraete - Intromission - 1985 - France
Production and/or Performances as musician in Carmo/LPs released in Brazil:
Andre Geraissati - Entre Duas Palavras - 1983
Nando Carneiro - Violão - 1983
Luiz Eça - Luiz Eça - 1984
Robertinho Silva - Bateria - 1984
Piry Reis - Caminho Do Interior - 1984
Aleuda - Oferenda - 1984
Antonio José - Un Mito Uma Coruja Branca - 1984
Carioca - Sete Dias, Sete Instrumentos, Musica - 1984
Grupo Papavento - Aurora Dorica Para O Embaixador De Jupiter - 1984
Artistas Carmenses - Carmo Ano 1 - 1985
Luigi Irlandini - Azul E Areira - 1985
Mú Carvalho - Meu Continente Encontrado - 1985
William Senna - O Homen Do Madeiro - 1985
Nando Carneiro - Mantra Brasil - 1986
Luiz Eça, Robertinho Silva and Luiz Alves - Triângulo - 1986
Marco Bosco - Fragmentos Da Casa - 1986 Piry Reis - Rio Zero Grau - 1986 Fernando Falçao - Barracas Barrocas - 1987
Production and/or Performance in Carmo/ECM CD’s released outside of Brazil:
Arvore - Egberto Gismonti, group and Orchestra - 1991
Circense - Egberto Gismonti, group and Orchestra - 1991
Violão - Nando Carneiro - 1991
Kuarup - Egberto Gismonti, group and Orchestra - 1991
Academia De Danças - Egberto Gismonti, group and Orchestra -1992
Trem Caipira - Egberto Gismonti group - 1992
Nó Caipira - Egberto Gismonti, group and Orchestra - 1992
Amazonia - Egberto Gismonti group - 1992
7 Dias, 7 instrumentos, musica - Carioca - 1992
Musical Contributions
Yeahwon Shin - Yeahwon (2010); Gismonti plays piano on the final track
Music for Ballet:
Maracatu / Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballet Stagium - 1974 - Brazil
Coraçoes Futuristas / Choreography of Vitor Navarro with Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Municipal De São Paulo - 1976 - Brazil
Conforme A Altura Do Sol, Conforme A Altura Da Lua / Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballett Stagium - 1978 - Brazil
Dança Das Cabeças / Choreography of Décio Otero with Ballet Stagium - 1978 - Brazil
Construçao / Choreography of Klaus e Angel Vianna - 1978 - Brazil
Sonhos De Castro Alves / Choreography of Antonio Carlos Cardoso with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - Salvador - 1982 - Brazil
Variaçoes / Choreography of Graziela Figuerca with Grupo Coringa - 1984 - Brazil
Agua y Vinho / Choreography of Philip S. Rosemond at University of Cincinnati - 1986 - Ohio, USA
Pantanal / Choreography of Décio Otero with the Ballet Stagium - 1986 - Brazil
Variações Sobre Villa Lobos / Choreography of Décio Otero with the Ballet Stagium - 1987 - Brazil
Maracatu / Choreography and performance of Ballet Babinka - 1986 - Uruguay
Jogo De Buzios / Choreography of Antonio Carlos Cardoso with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - 1988 - Brazil
Natura / Choreography of Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians - 1988 - Live music performance in USA
Sonhos De Castro Alves 2 / Choreography of Victor Navarro with the Corpo De Baile Do Teatro Castro Alves - 1988 - Brazil
Inconfidentes / Choreography of various choreographs with the Corpo De Baile De Teatro Palacio Das Artes - 1988 - Brazil
Iemanja / Choreography of Joe Alegado with Tanz-Forum (Opera’s Ballet of Cologne) - 1990 - live music performance at Philharmonic of Köln - Germany
Danças Solitarias / Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera’s Ballet of Cologne) - 1990 - performance at Philharmonic of Köln - Germany
7 Anéis / Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera’s Ballet of Cologne) - 1990 - performance at Philharmonic of Köln - Germany
Arrivals and Deparatures / Choreography of Philip S. Rosemond - 1991 - Space for Dance - Boulder, Colorado, USA
Carmen / Choreography of Jochen Ulrich with Tanz-Forum (Opera’s Ballet of Cologne) - 1993 - performance at Köln, Ludwigsburg and Ludwigshafen - Germany
Movie Scores:
A Penultima Donzela / Directed by Fernando Amaral - 1969 - Brazil
Em Famiglia / Directed by Paulo Porto - 1971 - Brazil
Confissões do Frei Abóbora / Directed by Braz Chediak -1972 - Brazil
Janaina / Directed by Olivier Perroy - 1973 - Brazil
Terra do Guaraná / documentary - 1974 - Brazil
Quem tem Medo do Lobisomem / Directed by Reginaldo Farias - 1973 - Brazil
Nem os Bruxos Escapam / Directed by Valdir Ercolani - 1974 - Brazil
Polichinelo / Directed by Jean Pierre Albicoco - 1975 - Brazil
Raoni / Directed by Jean Pierre Dutilleux - 1976 - France
Parada 88 / Directed by José by Anchieta - 1977 - Brazil
Cruising / Directed by William Frietkin - 1979 - USA
Ato by Violência / Directed by Eduardo Escorel - 1980 - Brazil
Pra Frente Brasil / Directed by Roberto Farias - 1981 - Brazil
Euridyce / Dir. by Mauro Alice / Documentary - 1983 - Brazil
Avaeté / Directed by Zelito Vienna - 1985 - Brazil
La Bela Palomera / Directed by Rui Guerra - 1987 - Brazil
Kuarup / Directed by Rui Guerra - 1988 - Brazil
Amazonia / Directed by Monti Aguirre - 1990 - USA
El Viaje / Directed by Fernando Solanas - 1991 - Argentina
Tempo De Paz / Directed by Daniel Filho - 2009 - Brazil
Chico Xavier / Directed by Daniel Filho - 2010 - Brazil
Music for Special TV series:
As Nadadoras / (Art Video) TV Manchete of Mariza Alvares Lima - 1986 - Brazil
? - Diadorim / (Art Video) of José de Anchieta - 1987 - Brazil
Pantanal / (Documentary) TV Manchete of Washington Novaes - 1986 - Brazil
O Pagador De Promessas / (Mini-serie of 15 episodes) TV Globo of Dias Gomes, dir. Tizuca Yamasaki - 1988 - Brazil
Um Grito Pela Vida / Conservation International Production - Haroldo e Flavia Castro - 1991 - USA
Amazonia Parte II / (serie of 120 episodes) TV Manchete of T. Yamsaki and Regina Braga, dir. Tizuca Yamasaki - 1992 - Brazil
Kuarup / (Mini-serie of 5 episodes) TV Manchete of Rui Guerra - 1992 - Brazil
Music for Theater (Brazil):
Maria Minhoca / by Maria Clara Machado - 1969
Encontro No Bar / by Braulio Pedroso / dir. by Celso Nunes with Camila Amado and Zanoni Perrite - 1973
Seria Comico Se Nao Fosse Serio / by Dürrenmatt / dir. by Celso Nunes with Fernanda Montenegro, Mauro Mendoça and Fernando Torres - 1974
Festa de Sabado / by Braulio Pedroso & Geraldo Carneiro, dir. de Daniel Filbo and Antonio Pedro with Camila Amado and Antonio Pedro - 1976
O Pequeno Principe / by Saint Exupery with Carlos Vereza and Susane Carvalho - 1978
Dor De Amor / by Braulio Pedroso dir. by Paulo Cesar Pereio with Paulo Cesar Pereio and Scarlet Moon - 1976
Bandeira Dos Cinco Milreis / by Geraldo Carneiro, dir. by Aderbal Jr. with Maria Padiha and Marco Nanini - 1985
Passageiro Da Estrela / Dir. by Sergio Fonta, with Lidia Brondi - 1984
O Homen Sobre o Parapeito Da Ponte / by Guy Poissy with Carlos Vereza and Clemente Vizcaino - 1987
Sonhos De Uma Noite De Verão / by William Shakespeare, dir. by Werner Herzog - 1992 for Exp
Music for expositions of Painters & Sculptors (all in Brazil):
Os Muito Universos / by Miralda Pedroso (installation) - 1985
Ita-Parica / (Fragmentos de uma exposiçao) by Miralda Pedroso (installation) - 1985
Figueira Branca / by Akiko Fujita (Sculpture & Installation) - 1986
Os Sete Aneis / by Antonio Peticov (Sculpture) - 1986
Written Music for different ensembles:
Music for 48 Strings - dedicated to Igor Strawinsky
Ritmos & Danças - guitar and Orchestra - dedicated to Léo Brower
Dança das Sombras - Chamber Orchestra - 1983
10 Guitar Studies - 1979/1990
10 Strings Quartet - 1987/1990
Songbook - released by Editions Gismonti - 1989/1990
10 Piano Studies - 1989/1990
Musica de Sobrevivência - Symphonic Music commissioned by Sec. Cultura de São Paulo - 1990
Realejo - Chamber Orchestra - 1991
Strawa no Sertão - Chamber Orchestra - 1991
Cabinda, a cantiga dos Espiritos - (5 movements) Symphonic Music commissioned by Zürich Symphonic Orchestra - 1992
Imagem & Variações - Symphonic Music commissioned by São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra - 1992
Strawa no Sertão, Maxixe - Symphonic Music commissioned by Copenhagen Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
Lundú - Symphonic Music commissioned by Copenhagen Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
Forró - Symphonic Music commissioned by Orchestra Symphonic of Bahia - OSBA - 1993
Frevo - Symphonic Music commissioned by Cordoba Symphonic Orchestra 1993
Dança dos Escravos - Symphonic Music commissioned by Cordoba Symphonic Orchestra - 1993
Previous ‘94 Releases & Works:
Gismonti & Vasconcelos - Live at ‘87 Montreux Jazz Festival - Warner Bros. CD
Gismonti & C. Haden - Live at ‘89 Montreal Jazz Festival - Polygram Classics CD
Gismonti & Ars Nova - Gismonti Vocal Music - ECM Records CD
Livro das Ignorânças - Music based in Manoel de Barros Poems - ECM Records CD
Casa das Andorinhas - Music for ‘92 Brazilian TV Series - Carmo/ECM CD
Bandeira do Brasil - Compilation of E. Gismonti works - Carmo/ECM CD
Song Book number 2 - Mundiamusic & Ed. Gismonti - Switzerland - songbook
Music for Strings Quartet - Mundiamusic & Ed. Gismonti - Swintzerland - music book
