Born in Rio de Janeiro, Marcelo Mendes grew up listening to Brazilian music. Records from artists like Jobim, Cartola, Chico Buarque and Baden Powell were always playing at his house. When he was 15, he started taking guitar lessons at Centro Musical Antonio Adolfo with professors Duda Anizio and Nito Lima. In 1998 he was invited to teach at that same institution and in 2001 he was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music.
In 2002 he moved to Boston and started his studies with such professors as: John Wilkins, Ed Tomasi, Dave Santoro, Jack Pezzanelli, Richie Hart, Bret Wilmott, among others. Marcelo Mendes concentrated his studies in harmony, performance and arranging. After graduating from Berklee in December of 2004, Marcelo Mendes returned to Rio de Janeiro and started teaching at EARJ (American School of Rio de Janeiro) and performing around the city.
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