José Melo Music Productions & Management is a booking agency based in Amsterdam, working since 1998 at artistic and cultural music development all over the world.
We look for a good relationship with theatres and festivals worldwide. Our acts can be found spread from clubs, to great halls and festivals.
We also work as advisors on current trends in music from Portugal and the Portuguese diaspora.
Use our bookingoffice to book one of our artists. On our site you can find all artist information like biography, discography and photography. You can listen to the music of our artists and also buy online.
Rogério Bicudo (1957) grew up in Rio de Janeiro. You could almost say with a guitar in his hands. He had already started playing Brazilian folk music by the time he was eight. Barely four years later, he was working as a professional musician.
Because his passion for the instrument grew and grew, he enrolled at the Villa-Lobos music school in Rio de Janeiro. Later, in 1981, he studied the classical guitar under Odair Assad.
When that year ended, he moved to Spain and continued his studies at Madrid’s Real Conservatory (1982-1987), where he studied under great masters such as Rodrigo and Ballesteros, both ardent followers of the school of Andres Segovia.
He also took a number of different courses in Renaissance and Baroque music. In 1987, Rogério Bicudo toured several European cities, taking part in celebrations of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Heitor Villa-Lobos. In that same year, he moved to the Netherlands, where he was responsible for forming the group Trio de Janeiro, that recorded the number ‘Chorinhos Brasileiros e Fuga’.
Since that time he has given concerts in many countries, not only as a soloist but also as a member of various ensembles, playing in different genres. As a soloist, Rogério Bicudo plays Brazilian Choros and Valsas, in addition to a classical repertoire. Choro is a musical genre that came into being in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 19th century, a cross between European classical music and African and Brazilian rhythms. A remarkable virtuosity is required for the optimal rendering of Choro.
In 1990, he established the quartet ‘Choro Combinado’, with an acoustic instrumental force of guitar, contrabass, clarinet and violin. The quartet produced its first CD ‘Sonoroso’ in 1999; this was followed by a second ‘Curare’ in 2001.
Rogério Bicudo has also taken part in a number of other projects, like the group Mistura Fina, with which he recorded the CD ‘Clube do Samba’ in 1993.
Andrea Amarillo, a Mexican reviewer, wrote: ‘Rogério Bicudo has demonstrated his enormous talent. All alone, with just a guitar and a microphone, he appeals to his marvellous technique to fill the space with his warm music.’
When Rogério Bicudo plays, he reveals with dignity the musical essence of the Brazilian guitar. He interprets the lyricism and richness of the Brazilian Choro with a gripping virtuosity.
Rogério Bicudo - Solução
At the age of 12, Rogério Bicudo was already a star in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was singing the hits of the day, most notably the songs of the Beatles. Photographs of a young Rogério picture a handsome, well-dressed kid, with an enormous guitar. Rogério E O Ritmo 2001, his band at that time, the early 70’s, attracted thousands of girls. Rogério: ’I was shy, and these girls screamed so loudly, I didn’t know what to think of it.’
Well, soon he did know. ‘I was only seeing bunda, nice bottoms, in Brazil.’ The money was good, the sun was shining brightly, telephones were black, refrigerators were white, the women had nice bodies and more, the dancehalls were packed to see Rogério E O Ritmo 2001, but sometimes paradise can be too heavenly. ‘I had to leave, I had to be alone for awhile. I had to learn more skills, more techniques, absorb more music, more arts. I had to get to know myself, and explore new horizons.’
So in 1982 Rogério packed his bag, and moved to Europe, to the Spanish capital Madrid, to study classical music at the Royal Conservatory. Rogério bought an excellent guitar (which he still plays today), and visited the famous Prado museum each and every weekend, where he fell in love with the works of Pablo Picasso. ‘I was with painters, with artists, with wine, and brandy. I opened myself up to the world.’
His principal teachers in Madrid were José Luis Rodrigo and Demetrio Ballesteros, maestro’s who have studied with the great Andres Segovia. A new Rogério emerged, a master himself, with a personal sound that consists of elements of the groundbreaking Música Popular Brasileira by giants like Tom Jobim, Gilberto Gil, and Chico Buarque, with classical music, and jazz. Moreover, Rogério picked up some flamenco skills. ‘You know, the Spanish play the guitar different than the Brazilians. You can hear that bullfighting is a Spanish phenomenon, the Spanish attack the strings like they are about to kill the bull, but Brazilians play gently, almost caressing the strings. My style is somewhere in the middle.’
A chance meeting with saxophonist, clarinettist, and flutist Paul Stocker (a mainstay on the European jazz scene), brought Rogério to Amsterdam, which has become a home for him ever since, although it was freezing cold upon arrival in the winter of 1987. He thought of naming his first band ‘Frio de Janeiro’ (‘frio’ meaning cold), but Trio de Janeiro was a nice name as well, both exotic and in tune with the Amsterdam sense of humour.
With Trio de Janeiro he recorded shortly upon arrival the album (on vinyl, it’s a much sought-after collector’s item by now) Chorinhos Brasilieras E Fuga / Live In Kapitein Zeppo. Kapitein Zeppo is a famous hang out in Amsterdam, located on a backstreet with the great name Gebed Zonder End (prayer without an ending). Rogério: ‘I don’t play there anymore, the coffee machine makes too much noise.’
And now the music on this highly personal album has taken Rogério back to Brazil. Back to the motherland, but also back in time. These are the songs that were his father’s favourites, these are the songs that his grandmother listened to in the 40’s and the 50’s, these are the songs that mean a lot - if not everything - to Rogério, and made him into who and what he is today: an artist, a storyteller, a musician, a tightrope dancer who’s taking chances.
Thanks to his grandmother, Rogério started playing guitar in the first place. She introduced him to the specific style of ‘choro’, a harmonious mixture of ‘Europe’ and ‘Africa’, with a typical Brazilian flow. Moreover, his grandmother gave Rogério his first guitar. ‘I always liked dancing, and when she saw me dancing, she sensed my musical abilities. My grandmother had a great sensibility. She always tuned my guitar, she always told me: if you keep on playing like this, it won’t get you anywhere. She encouraged me to practice, she forced me to listen carefully, and care about harmonies.’
Except for three months of practice as a kid, Rogério was an autodidact, before he went to study at the Conservatory Villa-Lobos, in Rio de Janeiro. ‘My first teacher was a barber. After three months of studying and practising with him, he asked an advance for the next three months. My father gave him the money, he up and went, and never came back.’
So this is why Rogério calls the music ‘my teacher’. By listening to music, Rogério learned how to play, and he became sort of a legend in and around Rio de Janeiro with his Ritmo 2001. In the meantime Rogério fell in love with different styles, which forced him to master new techniques. Fortunately the famous Brazilian guitar maestro Odair Assad was willing to accept Rogério as a student at the Conservatory Villa-Lobos. Odair is the brother of guitarist Sérgio and singer/songwriter Badi. The Duo Assad, Odair and Sérgio, have played with giants like Yo-Yo Ma, and are more or less the pinnacle in guitar wizardry. ‘Odair’s sound can be traced in my sound, especially in the duration of the notes. He’s a reference. We’re still in touch with each other, he seems to enjoy my playing.’
Studying with Odair Assad introduced Rogério to new worlds within music, and his stay at the Conservatory Villa-Lobos can be seen as a prelude to his departure to Europe. This album brings him back. Solução is a journey of discovery to the heartland of Brazilian music as Rogério came to love it.
‘This album is very special to me’, says the man. ‘It’s not merely a recording, it’s a story. It’s a story with a special meaning, almost autobiographical. The songs are directly linked to important moments in my life, about my friends, about the places where I lived and the people that I loved, like my father and grandmother. These songs bring back so many memories. Solução is also a story about my heroes, like Chico Buarque. I interpreted the very first samba that he recorded, Tem Mais Samba, and also the last: Injuriado. I met Chico once, in 2001. He was playing a soccer match! Did he win? Ofcourse, he was the owner of the ball! I gave him my records, and I signed at his request the Choro Combinado-album with the message: ‘From “Choro Combinado de Hollanda to Chico Buarque de Hollanda”, as his full name is.’
Although the sound of Rogério’s guitar is deep and dark, and his voice sounds husky and shady, the overall feeling of the album can only be described as happy, as well-balanced and harmonious. Rogério: ‘The music is who I am. I am happy, the album shows me how I am. I am pretty much Mr. Harmony himself. In fact, I knew before entering the studio what the songs should be like, how they had to sound.’
Solução is the title of a song by Raúl Sampaio. ‘Raúl knows me since my childhood and I wanted to record one of his songs. He gave me a cassette with various songs from various times, and Solução really hit me. This samba was recorded first in 1950, and the harmonies are incredible. It’s a beautiful song, it’s about how time and love will set things right.’
The whole album was recorded live, with almost no overdubbing. Only occasionally a second take was necessary. Those who are familiar with Rogério will be surprised to hear him sing again. ‘Everybody noticed audiences always paid extra attention when I started to sing, so everybody urged me to record an album with my singing and playing.’
The album Solução also marks another point of departure, which in Rogério’s case is always a point of homecoming as well: after playing for eighteen odd years in his ensembles, bands, combo’s with a typical “collective Amsterdam sound”, the man with the magic touch and shady voice, is standing behind the mike once again.
Very rightly so, that’s where he belongs.
Eric van ‘t Groenewout
Mr. Van ‘t Groenewout is co-recipient of the Edison Award for a project on the Czech composer Erwin Schulhoff in 1998. He is staff writer of JAZZISM, Holland’s leading magazine on jazz, blues, and world music.
Rogério Bicudo
Rogério Bicudo (1957) groeide op in Rio de Janeiro. Bij wijze van spreken met de gitaar in zijn handen. Al op 8 jarige leeftijd begon hij Braziliaanse volksmuziek te spelen. Nauwelijks vier jaar later werkte hij als professioneel muzikant.
Zijn passie voor het instrument groeide alleen maar en daardoor begon hij zijn studies in de Muziekschool Villa-Lobos in Rio de Janeiro. Later, in 1981, studeerde hij klassieke gitaar bij Odair Assad.
Het jaar erna verhuisde hij naar Spanje en zette zijn studie voort aan de Real Conservatorium van Madrid (1982-1987), waar hij les kreeg van grootmeesters als Rodrigo en Ballesteros, beide aanhangers van de school van Andres Segovia.
Ook nam hij deel aan verschillende cursussen Oude Muziek (Renaissance en Barok).
In 1987, tijdens de herdenking van de honderdste geboortedag van Heitor Villa-Lobos, maakte Rogério Bicudo een tournee door verschillende Europese steden. In dat jaar verhuisde hij tevens naar Nederland, waar hij de groep Trio de Janeiro stichtte waarvan de plaat "Chorinhos Brasileiros e Fuga" werd opgenomen. Sindsdien heeft hij in verschillende landen wereldwijd concerten gegeven, niet alleen als solist maar ook als lid van gevarieerde ensembles, in verschillende genres.
Als solist, speelt Rogério Bicudo ook Braziliaanse Choros en Valsas, behalve een klassiek repertoire.
Choro is een muzikale genre die ontstond in Rio de Janeiro aan het eind van de 19e eeuw, als product van de kruising tussen Europese klassieke muziek en Afrikaanse en Braziliaanse ritmes. Zijn uitvoering vereist een grote virtuositeit.
In 1990 stichtte hij het kwartet "Choro Combinado" dat een akoestisch instrumentale bezetting heeft van gitaar, contrabas, klarinet en viool. In 1999 kwam hun eerste CD "Sonoroso" uit, gevolgd in 2001 door de tweede "Curare".
Rogério Bicudo nam ook deel aan verschillende andere projecten, zoals de groep Mistura Fina met wie hij in 1993 de CD "Clube do Samba" opnam.
Andrea Amarillo een Mexicaans recensent schreef: “Rogério Bicudo heeft zijn grote talent getoond. Alleen, met een gitaar en een microfoon, hij vulde de ruimte met zijn warme muziek gespeeld met een geweldig techniek”.
De muzikale essentie van de Braziliaanse gitaar wordt door Rogério Bicudo waardig vertegenwoordigd. Hij interpreteert met een grote virtuositeit de lyrisme en rijkdom van de Braziliaanse Choro.
This highly personal album has taken Rogério back to Brazil. Back to the motherland, but also back in time. These are the songs that were his father’s favourites, these are the songs that his grandmother listened to in the 40’s and the 50’s, these are the songs that mean a lot - if not everything - to Rogério, and made him into who and what he is today: an artist, a storyteller, a musician, a tightrope dancer who’s taking chances.
Rogério BicudoChoro Combinado - Curare
Publisher
Year
EA
2001
Rogério BicudoChoro Combinado - Sonoroso
Publisher
Year
EA
1999
Rogério BicudoBanda Mistura Fina - Clube do Samba
Publisher
Year
EA
1995
Rogério BicudoTrio de Janeiro - Chorinhos Brasieliros e Fuga / Live in Kapitein Zeppos
