Release
A Brazilian saxophone player, AC received a Bachelor’s degree in Performance from Berklee School of Music in 1991 and a Master’s degree in Jazz Reeds from the California Institute of the Arts in 1993. In the beginning of 2005, AC completed his PhD in Music at UNIRIO (University of Rio de Janeiro) with a doctoral thesis focusing on the subject of improvisation in the Brazilian jazz repertoire for which he interviewed the top instrumental musicians in Brazil today.
At Berklee AC was awarded the Berklee Performance Achievement Award upon graduation and in California, he had an original composition recorded and released at the CD Cal Arts Jazz-93 by Capital Records. Among his instructors are Mauro Senise in Brazil and in the US he studied with George Garzone, Hal Crook, Charlie Haden and Ernie Watts. While living in North America he worked with keyboard player-composer Matt Johnson and Thom Teresi, Argentinian flutist Alejandro Santos, the band Soul Twisters, among many others.
A prominent figure in the jazz scene in Rio AC has credits with singer Alayed Costa and the longtime bossa nova group Zimbo Trio. He has performed as a sideman for musicians like drummers Robertinho Silva, Paulinho Braga, Alfredo Dias Gomes, and Claudio Infante, saxophone player Nivaldo Ornellas, pianist Weber Drummond, arranger Severino Araujo, bass players Adriano Giffoni, Andre Rodrigues, and Ronaldo Diamante as well as with other Brazilian jazz musicians. AC also has recording credits with Adriano Giffoni ( Contrabaixo Brasileiro, Quixada Acustico and Cacula), Marcio Hallack (Tudo Azul), Ronaldo Diamante (Jaix and Charanga) Thom Teresi (Street Smart), Andre Rodrigues (Decodificado), Alfredo Dias Gomes (Groove) Big Joe Manfra (Big Joe Manfra Bug Band ao vivo) and others.
As for his personal projects AC co-led the group Solari Jazz which released a well received album in 1998. In June 2002 he released a CD from his partnership with producer CDC entitled Brazilian Acid. In the sax-piano duet format AC recorded the CD Soundscape with Marco Tommaso in 2003 and later in 2006 released a solo saxophone project called Naked Truth. With his own group AC Jazz the musician recorded a few tracks available for download purchase at www.nossamusica.com
In the past two years AC has been involved in producing and directing a couple of musical projects for large sponsors. In 2006 he was co-creator and artistic director of Orquestra Popular, a jazz Big Band composed by new and seasoned musicians put together to perform a series of concerts sponsored by Telemar/Oi phone company. Also in 2006 and 2007 AC was co-creator and music director of a weekly jazz show - Prosper Jam sponsored by Prosper Bank. The format involved a fixed band and an invited guest from a list which included local and international names such as Marcio Montarroyos, Robertinho Silva, Idriss Boudrioua, Widor Santiago, Paulinho Trompete, Hamleto Stamato, Clif Korman, Paulo Moura, Marco Lobo, Jessé Sadock, etc. This project also released institutional CDs in both 2006 and 2007.
As a musician who is highly educated in his art AC has long taken on the role of professor and educator doing intensive private teaching on the subjects of saxophone, jazz improvisation, and jazz harmony. At Universidade Estacio de Sa he taught classes such as Introduction to MIDI and Techniques of Production I, Electronic Music and Principles of Music Synthesis, Music Production for Radio and TV, and Harmony. At UNIRIO for two years, as an associate professor, AC was responsible for the saxophone courses and also taught on the subject of improvisation. In 2011 he became associate professor at the School of Comunication of UFRJ - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Dr. AC has become active in academic discussions having presented in 2005 at the Curitiba Symposium of Research Music and at the Leeds International Jazz Conference in 2006 focusing on the Brazilian Jazz scene where he is a constant presence. Currently AC co-lead a project called Atelier Jazz with bass player Andre Rodrigues - more can be found at www.atelierjazz.com.br.
An equally talented performer, producer, and professor AC occupies a distinguishing position in Brazil as the first saxophone player to attain a PhD in his field and to occupy a prominent place both on stage and on campus.