Influenced by Baden Powell, successful composer/producer/instrumentalist Celso Fonseca started in music at 12, having learned the guitar. He decided to make music his profession at the age of 19, and was invited to join Gilberto Gil’s band in 1981. Fonseca performed throughout Brazil as well as in many other countries. Fonseca has also recorded and played with Chico Buarque and Milton Nascimento. He has performed at several festivals in Europe, Canada, the U.S. and Japan, including four performances at Montreux Fest (Switzerland). He became a producer in 1986 for Vinicius Cantuaria. Fonseca produced Gil’s O Eterno Deus Mu Danca. This album won him the Sharp Prize for the best pop/rock arranger in 1996. He also produced the first solo albums of Virginia Rodrigues and six tracks from Leo Gandelman’s Brazilian Soul. Minha Cara was his first solo album. O Som do Sim, his second solo album, was released in Europe in 1995. It reached number nine on the European world music charts. Fonseca was part of Gil’s Quanta Live in 1998 that won the World Music Grammy. Fonseca was the musical director of the show Since Samba Has Been Samba, which took place at London’s Royal Albert Hall. He was joined by Gil, Caetanoveloso, Gal Costa and Chico Buarque. Bebel Gilberto’s Tanto Tempo also featured him. Caetano Verloso, Gal Costa (“Sorte,” with Ronaldo Bastos), Gilberto Il, Maria Bethania (“Sei de Cor,” and “Flor Lunar,” respectively), Milton Nasimento and Milton Nasimento recorded Fonseca’s songs. from www.likenicealbum.com
