|
MARQUINHO MENDONÇA: SHORT BIOGRAPHY
After some years of professional experience in São Paulo, he received a degree in guitar from the Musicians Institute of Los Angeles, in 1992. Back to Brazil, he continued his Latin percussion studies with Dinho Gonçalves and his research on regional rhythms with the groups Cachuera (Southeastern tradition), and Cupuaçu (culture from the State of Maranhão). He improved his skills on the acoustic guitar in classes taken with the musician Ulisses Rocha, and started dedicating himself to the cavaquinho and mandolin, researching into the traditional choro composers. In 1995 he formed the band Mafuá, playing in forró and gafieira dances for 5 years. He travelled throughout Brazil and some European countries putting on musical shows and workshops. On the stage he took part in shows given by artists such as Zé Menezes, Renato Anesi, Celso Viáfora, Dominguinhos, Tião Carvalho, Francis Hime, Luiz Melodia, Toninho Carrasqueira, Yamandu Costa, Fabiana Cozza, Flavia Bittencourt, Tom Zé, Bicho de Pé, the ‘Orquestra Popular do Recife,’ etc. He formed the ‘Banda do Beco,’ which annually holds carnival dances. Mendonça took courses on arrangement and re-harmonization with Claudio Leal, and on group practice with Proveta. He has participated in several CDs as musician, arranger or producer. Always performing in ensembles and as a string soloist, he tries to compose freely, combining elements pertaining to several genres. His involvement with the Brazilian regional music and the promotion of the rhythms it encompasses are the primary goals of his work. In two of his first CDs (FilosoFolia and Tempo Templo) he performed his own compositions and played samba, choro, jongo, boi, frevo, waltz, baião, maracatu, toada, etc. He acknowledges “music” as a fundamental tool for social transformations, and views it as a real possibility to build up a cultural identity to educate and nourish a nation. His dream is to develop the art of music, promoting the great composers and interpreters, as well as the popular culture genres. Marquinho Mendonça
|
