Member Since: 9/1/2006
Band Website: toratorabigband.org
Band Members: Miguel Gonçalves (Brazil)- lead trumpet
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Johannes Krieger (Germany) - trumpet/composer/arranger
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Ze Maria (Portugal) - alto and tenor sax
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Guto Lucena (Brazil) - tenor and baritone sax
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Lars Arens (Germany) - trombone/composer/arranger
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Claus Nymark (Denmark) - trombone
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Peter Wetherill (USA) - trombone
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Filipe Raposo (Portugal) - piano
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Francesco Valente (Italy) - bass/presentation
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Hugo Menezes (Portugal) - percussion
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André Pacheco "Junior" (Portugal) - percussion
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Davide Rodrigues (Portugal) - drums-------------------------------------------------------
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Miguel Gonçalves (Brazil) -- lead trumpet--
For many years he was the owner of a bank in Brazil but he went bankrupt because of bad management. Miguel then emigrated to Portugal and bought a trumpet and since then he has gotten away with being a musician in Portugal.
He really wanted to be a heavy metal singer but because of his age he couldn't find a producer to sponsor him. Now he uses his trumpet to channel his aggressive feelings. He is the only one to support a complicate situation: to play a strong high register while supporting the psychological stress created from the trombone section that doesn´t forgive any wrong note.//-----------------------------------------------------
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Johannes Krieger (Germany) - -trumpet/composer/arranger--
During his music studies in Holland, he was dedicated to terrorizing the other students and professors only playing wrong notes and finding that funny! In Portugal he changed his ideas and studies to raise his level of playing to match the level of his compositions and arrangements. But this he doesn´t do as a free choice. He does it to be able to escape to the trombone section´s terror, cause the trombones are more busy with counting Johannes mistakes rather than with playing their own music. But the quality of his solos are unquestionably divine. Johannes fights radically against any intellectual influences from the band. //
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Ze Maria (Portugal) -- alto and tenor sax--When he came in the band he overthrew percussionist "Junior" as the youngest member of the band, and he also claimed for the percussionists name. But the band didn´t accept that.
Contrary to the other band members who have limited abilities, he has many to choose from. The other band members view him whith much jealousy and respect. He wants to study a serious and secure profession even though he is one of the most talented young musicians in Portugal.//
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Guto Lucena (Brazil) -- tenor and baritone sax--
When he arrived in Portugal he had all the opportunities to succeed. But during a concert of his quartet, the rhythmic section opted for a new accompaniment of the famous standard "Blue Trane", this was considered a scandal. He had found himself in a country choosy and critical of jazz unlike none other in Europe. He was cast as an outlaw. But because Portugal has few saxophonists that solo and play well together in groups, he was hired to play in the band of the program HERMAN SIC. His rights and duties as a citizen have now been returned to him, but in exchange he had to sign a contract with the television station for the rest of his life. He is now considering whether to go back to being an "outcast". In this case Tora Tora is available to play in public his arrangement of "Blue Trane".//
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Lars Arens (Germany) -- trombone/composer/arranger--
He is ashamed of his participation in some bad artistic projects in his past and now lives quietly and in secrecy as a specialist in the combat of fleas in his house. Along with this he is the musical director of the group and suffers spontaneous attacks of rage caused by impatience with the bands bad performance of songs. Because of this temperament the 2nd trombonist Claus once called him "Jumping Pulgas". Probably Lars is the one that studies the most in the brass section. Francesco was shocked when he found out that Lars left the house at 8:00am to go to practice all day. What he didn't know was that it had been the fleas that inspired him to leave the house so early in the morning.//
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Claus Nymark (Denmark) -- trombone--
Since his childhood Claus always dreamed of having a garden with oranges. To make this a reality he had to leave his country. He was successful in agriculture and passed the days as an orange merchant. One day he had to confiscate the property of a customer who could not pay, and thus became an owner of a trombone. He then realized that he had a talent for this instrument. He was so dedicated to practicing his trombone that he forgot the harvest and was drowning in oranges. To call for help he played his trombone at an incredible volume like had never been heard before. (After being saved he had to buy a four wheel drive jeep to be able to enter and leave his house.) This is how he got the nic name "Elephant's Claus". In Tora Tora he already has destroyed some sound systems. In contrast with other big bands, the saxophonists want to play behind the trombones when he plays. The microphone in front of him in the concerts is only a decoration, and is always turned off! //
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Peter Wetherill (USA) -- trombone--
Nobody could imagine it now, but in his native land he was a "southern states hippie". He was banished from his turf when he entered a supermarket barefoot which had a sign: "no bare feet allowed". He then decided to try his luck with his instrument in Europe. But since he doesn't have money for a ticket, he signed up to work on a cruise ship around Europe and play in the show band. But the roots of being a hippie run deep. He never learned to read notes! He always played free music. He continued smoking on board, even though the consumption of certain things is absolutely forbidden! He had to leave the boat in the first port in Europe. This was Lisbon. He then wanted to change his life. He quit smoking, and changed his attitude. He quickly learned to read notes and becomes an interesting musician for the band Tora Tora. //
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Filipe Raposo (Portugal) -- piano--
Filipe is an example of extreme changes of life. In his early years he went to mass three times per day. He already was thinking about living in a monastery, but faith alone was not enough to feed him. He is a good pianist and was obliged to accept work in television. He had a bad conscience for participating in such a secular activity, but little by little he starts to like doing this, "I really have a talent for this!" He then starts to create crazy sounds on his piano, dress in crazy clothes, even though all the members of the band must dress the same. He attracts the attention of the audience - and of the camera operators. When Filipe is there, nobody pays attention to the hosts of the show. This does not make them happy! Thus they have already ended many programs where he participated. Because of this behavior, Filipe gained the name "Crazy Guy". He is always well received in Tora Tora where he can act any way he wants.//
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Francesco Valente (Italy) -- bass/presentation--
He could have the first cello chair in the Milan orchestra, but instead he accepted an invitation to play in Portugal in a clowns orchestra called "orquestrinha da pena". This ruined his career in classic music in Italy. He then asked for artistic asylum in Portugal, because he couldn't return to Italy as a musician. As if this was not enough suffering he had to learn to play the bass to keep his job in the clowns orchestra. This meant that he had to move to the last line of the string section. He didn't feel good whit this situation and wanted to escape. He then heard of a big band where the trombones play in the front of the band. He knows that trombones and basses are natural allies, and have similar sufferings. In a "stroke of good luck" he was invited by the trombones to join Tora Tora. He banished the trumpet player, Johannes, from the first line to the last line, and became the presenter of the band and joined the trombones in the front row. He now has had many opportunities to get comfortable with this. As well as being a great bass player he has also become a great presenter. Like this has become the only irreplaceable member of the band. //
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Hugo Menezes (Portugal) -- percussion--
He had a difficult birth and soon became a freak and obviously learned to play percussion. But eventually he found out that almost all freaks play percussion instruments. It is very difficult for him to get established, and gets into playing with DJ's in fancy discos but gets tired of this quickly. He then joins Tora Tora and takes control of the rhythm section. Later he develops a talent for organizing shows better than anyone else in the band can. He learns how to organize and to sell shows, and knows how to negotiate. But as a result he paces around and is too busy to eat correctly (two pounds of pork chops per day), he suffers from a bad stomach and is stressed out. One day he received more than 100 e-mails and phone calls from Lars because he didn't answer him soon enough. He often runs away to destress, to a house in the country, far from everything, where he can only be contacted if he goes to the top of an enormous mountain so that his mobile phone has a signal. But soon he gets homesick for Tora Tora and returns to Lisbon, but never more than 4 days in a row. He deserves a lot of respect from the other band members on how much he has contributed as an excellent percussionist and organizer! //
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André Pacheco "Junior" (Portugal) - percussion--
Nobody knows for certain of his origins. He is known as one of the members in a certain famous afro-reggae band along with Francesco and Davide. But do his colleagues known him really? Can his look be so obvious? Doesn´t it rather hide an other side of him? A person that sees him for the first time thinks: freak! With his singing and percussion playing he easily facinates everyone. But that one skill doesn't fill in the blanks. People circulate rumors that he has a double life. The fact is that some times before rehearsals and concerts of Tora Tora, a luxury limousine passes close by, but he always arrives in a beat up old car did he only get in and drive there just before he arrived? Well, Tora Tora wouldn't be surprised if one day he announced that he just inheri... Tora Tora is a band who has many members, and it would be practical somebody to buy an airplane to be easier to travel. Until then, the band is content with him as a strong reinforcement for the rhythmic section. //
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Davide Rodrigues (Portugal) -- drums--
He was born in Germany, a son of emigrants, but rejects his German nationality. As soon as he can he will return back to the country of his nationality. He has a certain accent that comes out when speaking Portuguese with Johannes and Lars. He even has a heavier accent than they do. He works very hard to be able to pay for drum lessons in the Hot Club of Portugal. He always has very little money for living expenses, and has to live in the bairro Cova da Moura in Amadora. He smokes very much there, but will seek medical help to quit only when his health is effected seriously. He still has many substances of this type remaining in his blood, "space cake", and this contributes to his relaxed and calm caricature. Also many times he feels the groove more laid back than Lars because of Larses high blood pressure, and he has to count off the tunes. When he isn't playing drums he is dedicated to fight against pollution and for the protection of animals, and sends millions of emails of protest to his friends in Tora Tora. Many e-mail mailboxes have been filled up, so the other eleven band members of Tora Tora hide their true e-mail addresses from him.
Influences: BOOKING
Hugo Menezes
+351 96 289 44 71
[email protected] WORK
Cristina Carvalho
+351 96 958 23 63
[email protected]
[email protected]
Record Label: Music Mob
Type of Label: Indie