Widor Santiago

MANAGEMENT
Brasil
Karina Santiago
[email protected]
www.myspace.com/karinasantiago51
+55 [61] 9968-8900
International
Mena Magalhães
[email protected]
+1 [831] 917 87 55
Mailing: 4301 Columbia Pike, Arlington VA 22204 USA
Widor was born to a family of musicians and had as first master none other than his own father, himself a sax player. By age 7, this wonder child was already in the payroll of the Municipal Band of his hometown of Anapolis, Brazil, where played for another seven years.
Still in his early teens, he joins a travelling band, and tours all over Brazil, briefly settling in Brasília and later São Paulo, where he is tutored by more experienced instrumentists. At age 18, he goes back to Brasília to become one of the most sought-after musicians in the capital of Brazil. Quattuor Jazz, his first jazz ensemble, is featured for weeks on end at the London Tavern Pub and other popular venues. He is also playing with Artimanha, another famous local jazz group. He performs in every Jazz Festival of Casa Thomas Jefferson in the 1980s, alongside some of the most talented musicians, who gradually spread the word about the talented young soloist. Soon thereafter, he pioneers the jazz nights of Gates Pub, a nightclub that would become a reference in Brasília.
In 1983, Widor, still an adolescent, moves to Rio de Janeiro, looking for ways to expand his musical career. A new and prolific phase ensues, as he comes in contact with Brazil’s most brilliant musicians. The experience greatly enriches his art, as he transits into adulthood.
He dramatically changes his sound and his attitude, under the strong influence of John Coltrane and Michael Brecker. Yet he manages to keep his identity as a musician, which affords him the acknowledgment and the respect of fellow instrumentists.
Widor starts recording with the great names of Brazilian pop music, proving his versatility as a virtuoso comfortable in a variety of different styles. The list of artists includes Marcio Montarroyos, Rique Pantoja, Sivuca, Victor Biglione, Marcos Rezende and many others. Around the same time, he joins different instrumental music ensembles, such as Banda Retoque, Banda Piramide, and Don Heres. He also plays in the bands of Nico Assumpção, Alfredo Dias Gomes, and Sivuca.
It doesn’t take long for artists like Djavan, Erasmo Carlos, Cazuza, João Bosco, Maria Bethania, Simone, and Milton Nascimento to notice the brightness of his solos. Invitations to record keep coming, and not just from these artists.
In Rock in Rio Concerts I and II, he plays with Erasmo Carlos and Leo Jaime. He also joins Sivuca and Rique Pantoja on-stage at the Free Jazz Festival 86/87.
He continues to record and is now touring the world with Djavan (EU, US, JP), Rique Pantoja (EU, US), Marcio Montarroyos (US, JP), Elza Soares (US).
In 1989, Widor moves to Los Angeles, and joins Wayne Shorter on a series of concerts. Wayne readily ackknowledges Widor as a talented sax player, worthy of the same respect as any accomplished musician in America. Still in LA, Widor forms the Brazil ensemble and later the Brazil Band - playing mostly Brazilian jazz tunes – and the Vellas Group USA, a jazz fusion group. He was also performs with Azimuth, at Vines St. Pub.
Upon returning to Brazil, Widor resumes his activities as a sought-after recording musician and goes on tour again with many artists (Japan, USA and Europe).
In 1996, he accepts the invitation of Flora Purim and percussionist Airto Moreira and joins them for a series of the most important jazz festivals in over 30 countries. Widor stays with their band for two and a half years, during which time he lives in New York and Miami. Eventually, he settles back in Rio de Janeiro, where he’s been based ever since.
In addition to his own quintet, Widor starts recording and touring again, this time with Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Dave Weckel, Delmar Brown, Efrain Toro, Giovanni Hidalgo, Larry Coryell, Luiz Avellar, Marcos Rezende, Mike Stern, Nico Assumpção, Pascoal Meireles, Paulo Braga, Paulo Russo, Paulinho Trompete and other top notch Brazilian artists.
In 2002, he starts playing in the band of singer and songwriter Milton Nascimento, with whom he is frequently on tour in Brazil, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Japan. In his international tours, Milton Nascimento tailors his performances to the characteristics of each audience, often introducing a more jazz-like repertoire and confidently relying on Widor, as the band’s lead soloist. And everywhere, Widor has been praised in the press for his soloist virtues.
Widor’s first album – A Rosa – recorded in London, San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, is a collection of fine Brazilian Jazz tunes, exposing in all its glory the technique and sensitivity of a musician widely acknowledged as one of Brazil’s greatest jazz performers.
Widor Santiago also works on contract for Globo Television, as the lead saxophone and flute player in the BR Plus ensemble, performing in live concerts and recording the soundtrack of most of the channel’s programs. In addition, he plays regularly in the nightclubs of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with his own quintet.
Widor is currently finishing another two albums with his own compositions. The new releases are the result of years of experience in different settings and cultures and in the company of some of the greatest stars of music.
Deeply rooted in Brazil, the music of Widor Santiago is contemporary jazz at its best.
Widor Santiago é um dos grandes nomes brasileiros no cenário jazzístico mundial. Com seu saxofone recebe importantes citações nos principais meios de comunicação dos locais onde se apresenta com seu fraseado arrojado e belíssima sonoridade, faz sua música soar como pura inspiração.
Atualmente além do seu próprio quinteto, Widor toca com o cantor e compositor Milton Nascimento, com qual tem se apresentado pelo Brasil, Américas do sul e Central, África, Japão e Europa, tendo recebido entre uma apresentação e outra, excelentes comentários em jornais locais a respeito de suas performances como solista inclusive de Paul McCartney que alegou sua apreciação pelo músico. Também se apresentou ao lado de músicos como: Airto Moreira, Dave Weckel, Delmare Brown, Efrain Toro, Giovanni Hidalgo, Larry Coryell, Luis Avellar, Marcos Rezende, Mike Stern, Nico Assumpção, Pascoal Meireles, Paulo Braga, Paulo Russo, Paulinho Trompete e outros grandes músicos deste País.
Gravou o CD "A Rosa" em Londres, São Francisco e Rio de Janeiro com participação especial de Flora Purim e Airto Moreira. Neste CD, músicas ritmadas e classificadas como Brazilian Jazz, demonstram toda a técnica e primor deste saxofonista reconhecido como um dos maiores músicos de Jazz do Brasil.
Iniciou seus estudos musicais aos sete anos de idade. Músico nato, auto didata. Para melhor aperfeiçoar sua arte musical, Widor escolheu o caminho das mudanças, onde contracena com os melhores níveis de experiências e variedades de situações. O seu celeiro musical foi Brasília, tendo mudado para o Rio de Janeiro no inicio de 1984. Tocou e gravou com artistas da MPB como Ângela Ro Ro, Baby do Brasil, Cazuza, Djavan, Erasmo Carlos, Emilio Santiago, João Bosco, entre outros. No final de 1996, Widor foi convidado pela cantora Flora Purim a embarcar em uma serie de tournées internacionais do circuito de jazz, onde se apresentaria como um dos solistas da banda Fourth World. Esse período durou cerca de dois anos e meio, no qual Widor morou em Nova Iorque e Miami se apresentando por mais de trinta países do circuito jazzístico.
Trabalha para rede Globo através da banda BR Plus, gravando como saxofonista e flautista inúmeras trilhas para: casos especiais, mine-séries, novelas, programas ao vivo e etc. Resumindo: Widor Santiago é um musico nato, com autenticas características dos músicos bem dotados.
Widor Santiago es uno de los grandes nombres brasileños en la escena jazzística mundial. Con su saxofón recibe importantes citaciones en los principales medios de comunicación de los locales donde se presenta con su fraseado arrojado y bellísima sonoridad, hace que su música emane como pura inspiración.
Actualmente Widor toca, además de su propio quinteto, con el cantante y compositor Milton Nascimento, con quien se ha presentado en varios países de América del Sur y Central, África, Europa y Japón, habiendo recibido excelentes comentarios en los medios de comunicación por su performance como solista, inclusive de Paul McCartney que alegó su apreciación por Widor. También se presentó al lado de músicos como: Airto Moreira, Dave Weckel, Delmare Brown, Efrain Toro, Giovanni Hidalgo, Larry Coryell, Luis Avellar, Marcos Rezende, Mike Stern, Nico Assumpción, Pascoal Meireles, Paulo Braga, Paulo Russo, Paulinho Trompete y otros grandes músicos.
Grabó el CD "A Rosa" en Londres, San Francisco y Río de Janeiro con la participación especial de Flora Purim y Airto Moreira. En este trabajo presenta músicas ritmadas y clasificadas como Brazilian Jazz, que demuestran toda la técnica y exquisitez de este saxofonista reconocido como uno de los más grandes músicos de jazz de Brasil.
Inició sus estudios musicales a los siete años de edad. Músico nato, autodidacta. Para perfeccionar su arte musical, Widor escogió el camino de los cambios, donde contraescena con los mejores niveles de experiencias y variedades de situaciones. Su granero musical fue Brasilia, luego fue Río de Janeiro donde reside desde 1984. Ha tocado y grabado con artistas de la MPB como Ângela Ro Ro, Baby do Brasil, Cazuza, Djavan, Erasmo Carlos, Emilio Santiago, João Bosco, entre otros. A finales de 1996, Widor fue invitado por la cantante Flora Purim para embarcarse en una serie de tournées internacionales del circuito de jazz, donde se presentaría como uno de los solistas de la banda Fourth World. Este período duró cerca de dos años y medio, teniendo que residir en Nueva York y Miami, presentándose en más de treinta países del circuito jazzístico.Trabaja para la red de TV Globo en la banda BR Plus, grabando como saxofonista y flautista un sinnúmero de bandas sonoras para: miniseries, novelas, programas al vivo, eventos especiales, entre otros.Resumiendo: Widor Santiago es un músico nato, con auténticas características de los músicos bien dotados.
Fotos: Johnson Barros - www.johnsonbarros.com
Widor Santiago at Pietá - Milton Nascimento's DVD. Song: Lília
Video: DVD Pietá - Milton Nascimento
Widor Santiago at Pietá - Milton Nascimento's DVD. Song: Casa Aberta
Video: DVD Pietá - Milton Nascimento
Playlist of Widor Santiago at Drink Café - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil