Celia Vaz

About Celia Vaz ............................................................ ................................................Born in Rio de Janeiro, Celia Vaz began her musical career by recording the song LEMBRANÇA, her composition, by singer Dóris Monteiro....................In 1972 Celia won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts (United States) where she studied Arranging and Composition, graduating in 1976. While in America, Celia took part in concerts and recordings in Boston and New York, including the recording of HOTMOSPHERE (by drummer Dom Um Romão) her first gig as an arranger; her composition Cisco Two, is part of the album...............................................Back to Brazil, Celia worked as an arranger for quite a few albums and shows and in 1980 recorded her first solo album, MUTAÇÃO (Polygram), with special guests such as Pat Metheny, Marcos Resende, Ricardo Silveira, Raul de Souza, Luisão Maia, Vitor Biglioni, Mauro Senise and many others. MUTAÇÃO is being released in Japan this year (2008).................................In 1987 she became musical director, arranger and guitarist of vocal groupQuarteto em Cy, with whom Celia has recorded the following albums:CHICO EM CY (1991)...............BOSSA EM CY (1992, Japan only)......................................................V INICIUS EM CY (1993)...................................................... ..............TEMPO E ARTISTA (1994).........................BRASIL EM CY (1996)........................GIL E CAETANO EM CY (1999)...................................HORA DA CRIANÇA (2001).......................................VERDADES E MENTIRAS (2002) CD & DVD..............Celia was invited in 1995 to direct a Vocal Arrangement course in the Rotterdam Conservatory, Holland. ...................... On that same year, another CD released: CELIA VAZ (Leblon Records), giving Celia the prestigious Prêmio Sharp de Música (Sharp Music Award) for that year, besides having special guest Chico Buarque singing Retrato em Branco e Preto (Portrait in Black & White) in a very special duet................By then, many concerts in Brazil, Japan, Europe and USA took place, as well as recordings such as the album BRASILEIRAS (CID) a duo with singer and guitarist Wanda Sá. On January 1997 Celia and Wanda went on tour in Tokyo, releasing BRASILEIRAS in Japan (Bomba Records) and in the U.S. (Arn Records). She remained in Tokyo until March and along with Quarteto em Cy released the album BOSSA EM CY (Bomba Records).........................On May 1997 , 3 concerts in Cuba. During the years of 1997, 1999 and 2001 Celia Vaz worked with a very special Octet: groups Quarteto em Cy and MPB-4: BATE BOCA (compositions byTom Jobim and Chico Buarque) SOMOS TODOS IGUAIS (compositions by Ivan Lins and Djavan) VINICIUS, A ARTE DO ENCONTRO (songs written by Vinicius de Moraes)................................June 1998: Japan (Tokyo and Kobe). February 1999: solo album for English label Far Out Records: EBB AND FLOW. .......................................................... 1999/2000: Tour with Quarteto em Cy, MPB-4 and Milton Nascimento for a series of shows in Punta del Este (Uruguay). Vocal Arrangement course in the 30th Winter Festival of Campos de Jordão (São Paulo, Brazil). Japan: participation as singer, arranger, and guitarist in the recording of the album ILHA VERDE, of Japanese singer Kumi Hara, followed by another participation in Kumi Hara's next album BOA NOTÍCIA, in 2001. .................................................. Celia has also made arrangements on the albums by the Maogani Guitar Quartet:MAOGANI (1997) CORDAS CRUZADAS (2001) ............................................................ ...... With sambista Delcio Carvalho, Celia Vaz participated in the album A LUA E O CONHAQUE on February of 2001, and on November of that same year worked as musical director, arranger and guitarist on Mauricio Mattars album MEU PRIMEIRO DISCO........................................... Arrangements for the album TRIBUTO À LUÍS EÇA (Biscoito Fino label) Arrangements for Billy Blancos most recent album (Biscoito Fino label) Arrangements for guitarist Gui Tavares album ....................................................... 2004: releasing of album NÓS QUATRO (vocal group Nós Quatro:Celia, Ana Zinger, Fabíola and Marco Lott, by Biscoito Fino label. June 21: Vocal Arrangement Course at the III A Cappella Forum (Bennett, RJ Brazil)...............................................Record ing of children's album Learning Factory (Cultura Inglesa). Show with Wanda Sá and the Tom Jobim Symphonic Orquestra under the regency of Maestro Roberto Sion, at the Latin America Memorial (São Paulo, Brazil)....................................................R ecording with Lisa Ono's 10 years of career (Japan) ............................................................ .............. In 2004 was released the album NÓS QUATRO (www.myspace.com/nosquatro) on Biscoito Fino label, with Nós Quatro vocal group (Ana Zinger, Fabyola, Marcio Lott and Celia), created by Celia Vaz herself, who stands as one of the members of the quartet, besides making all vocal and instrumental arrangements. Because of this CD, Nós Quatro was nominated for BEST MPB GROUP in the Tim Music Awards. Since 2005, Clarisse Grova is part of the group, along with Celia, Marcio and Fabyola. ............................................................ .............. Arrangement for singer Martinho da Vila on a tribute album to Rosinha de Valença, NAMORANDO A ROSA (Biscoito Fino). Celia's song MONOTONIA (partnership with Hermínio Bello de Carvalho) was recorded by singer Fátima Guedes on February 2005. ............................................................ ...................... Nós Quatro is finalist at the Visa Award on September, 2005 (São Paulo, Brazil). ............................................................ ......................... Lately, Celia has recorded many tracks for albums released in London (Far Out Records and Soul Jazz Records) as singer, songwriter, guitarist and arranger. She currently leads the Compasso Carioca Band (www.myspace.com/compassocarioca), that plays popular Brazilian music. ............................................................ ............................. 2006: Nós Quatro goes on on a 3 week tour around the south of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Santos and São Paulo). ............................................................ ................................. May 2006: Celia Vaz is invited to direct a Vocal Arrangement course in the Rotterdam Conservatory, Holland. 2007/2008: shows with Nós Quatro