ORQUESTRA CONTEMPORÂNEA DE OLINDA

Featured on national music scene as the group which has most traveled throughout Brazil last year (about 80 concerts in 2008) and which is notably increasing its ever-growing audience, Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda, already owns a remarkable career in the history of music in Pernambuco.

• Latin Grammy 2009 Nominee in the 'Best Tropical Brazilian Roots Album´ category;
• Prêmio da Música Brasileira 2009 Finalist in the ´Regional´ category;
• Recommended by New York Times´ music critics;
• More than 5 thousand copies sold in less than a year;
• Acknowledged by O Globo newspaper as the Best Concert in 2008.
Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda is the symbol of strength and inventiveness of the music of Pernambuco that Brazil and the world have learned to admire.

Conceived by Gilú (percussionist), Orquestra is the meeting of some of the Best musicians of Pernambuco who have worldwide known works – and were not satisfied with the traditional bass-drums-guitar band formation – with experienced instrumentalists of the Frevo´s orchestra of more than 50 years of existence.

Gilú, Hugo Gila, Tiné, Maciel Salú, Rapha B. and Juliano Holanda constitute the first half of the band, which accounts for its creative basis. They come in tune with the experience of their previous works in bands like Bonsucesso Samba Clube, Academia da Berlinda, Variant, DJ Dolores e Orchestra Santa Massa, Terno do Terreiro and many other projects.

The other half comes from Grêmio Musical Henrique Dias, led by Maestro Ivan do Espírito Santo (alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax and flute). The other members of Orquestra – Daniel Marinho (trumpet), Ibraim Genuíno (trombone) and Alex Santana (bass horn) – are musicians who learned their craft in this musical society founded in 1954, which is the first nonprofit musical school of Cidade Alta de Olinda (Pernambuco) and holds until today educational and cultural programs in favour of the community development.

Thereafter, it was a matter of months for the “big band” of Olinda become known to the audience and recommended by critics worldwide. Amid concerts throughout Brazil the band has prepared its first album´s repertoire, released in 2008 and distributed by Som Livre (Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda - 2008, Som Livre).

Among latin grooves, afro beats and rhythms of Pernambuco, the Orquestra Contemporânea de Olinda has built its own well-shaped and concise identity. This merit is shared by a cast of ten musicians with different backgrounds and one same aim: the intention of making innovative music, in all senses, from the avant-garde reinvention of classics to the smoothness of excellent melodic lines. A new sound, shaped by well “embedded” arrangements of its brass band.

GILÚ
Creator of the Orquestra, this percussionist of Olinda communicates his well-defined and unique identity through his original work on stages of Brazil and abroad. When was still in the beginning of the career he had already played with: Naná Vasconcelos, Erasto Vasconcelos, Mundo Livre, Otto, Silvério Pessoa, and others. Has been featuring on the CD recordings of Chão e Chinelo, Bonsucesso Samba Clube and Renata Rosa, with whom he traveled through Europe. In Europe, participated in pianist Marcelo Bratk´s (London Symphony Orchestra´s soloist) project Trilogia do Carnaval. He was founding member of the groups A Roda (among Gabriel Melo and Yuri Habib) and Academia da Berlinda.

TINÉ
The singer, composer and songwriter Tiné was born in Arcoverde, city of Cordel do Fogo Encantado and also of the traditional group Samba de Coco Raízes de Arcoverde, two solid influences undoubtedly present in his work. In Recife he is known for his participation in the group Academia da Berlinda. He featured on Maciel Salú´s project Terno do Terreiro. Moreover, in 2004 Tiné released his solo album Segura o Cordão, in which he shows his own and also his partners´ compositions, with arrangements and music production by the violeiro (guitar player) Caçapa. One of its tracks, the song Cobrinha, was included in the compilation What's Happening in Pernambuco, released in the United States by David Byrne's label Luaka Bop. Some songs are available on www.myspace.com/seguraocordao.

MACIEL SALÚ
The rabequeiro (rabeca player), singer and composer Maciel Salú has a privileged poetic and musical heritage: he had grown up in contact with masters of the traditional culture. His childhood was enriched by rhythms such as Maracatu Rural, Cavalo Marinho and Ciranda, all manifestations of popular/traditional culture, fomented in his family by his grandfather João Salu and his father Mestre Salustiano. Ten years ago, has performed with the group Chão e Chinelo in national and international festivals such as in Nantes, France. Subsequently, became a member of Orchestra Santa Massa, led by DJ Dolores; they have been acclaimed at Free Jazz, Abril Pro Rock, New York´s Lincoln Center festivals and also in the European Tour in over