Thiago de Mello

Founder of Thiago de Mello & Amazon, Thiago de Mello brought the influences of his homeland Amazon to his music, using instruments like the boca do mato, boca-de-barro and pau de chuva, built with pieces of wood and other rustic materials. He has had his compositions recorded by Paul Winter, Sharon Isbin, Paquito d'Rivera, Cláudio Roditi, Carlos Barbosa Lima, Tibério Nascimento and Richard Kimball. Mello participated in two records nominated for the Grammy Awards, Hearts & Minds, by Susannah McCorkle, and, as a composer, in Dreams of a World, by Sharon Isbin.Brother of the poet Thiago de Mello, Thiago de Mello (both use only their surnames) moved to New York NY in 1966, disturbed by the political situation in Brazil, debuting in the scene as a bossa nova performer in clubs of that city. In 1970 he founded the Guitar Society of the United Nations, having being its director for the next 10 years. His Amazon (1973) had the participation of Dom Salvador (piano), Airto Moreira (percussion), Cláudio Roditti (trumpet), Paulo Moura (winds) and Don Payne (bass). In 1985 he participated in the Guitar Stream at the Carnegie Hall (New York, NY). In 1986 and 1987 he was a Paul Winter guest in his performances, being also a special guest to Carlos Barbosa Lima in his 1988 show realized at the Carnegie Recital Hall (New York NY), commemorating his 30 years as a professional instrumentalist. Three years later he performed again with Barbosa Lima at the St. John's Smith Square (London, England) and in Berkeley and Monterey (CA). In 1992 he participated in another concert at the St. John's Smith Square, this time with Barbosa Lima, Laurindo de Almeida and the Wren Orchestra of London. At the world ecological summit Rio Eco 1992 he performed in Rio de Janeiro with Paul Winter and Oscar...