Ricardo Silveira

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Silveira absorbed the eclectic sounds of his homeland from an early age. Bossa nova, samba, and carnival rhythms, together with the music of Baden Powell and Jimi Hendrix among others, helped form his initial artistic direction. After finishing high school he left Brazil to enroll at the Berklee College of Music. With that foundation he moved to New York City and began working alongside Herbie Mann and additional artists. He later returned to Brazil, where he quickly emerged as one of the country’s most in-demand session musicians. Hundreds of recordings resulted, placing him with major figures across Brazilian jazz. Gilberto Gil and Milton Nascimento proved especially consistent collaborators, frequently calling on him for their projects. Beginning in the mid-’80s and extending through the ’90s, his own albums also found favor with Brazilian jazz listeners as he pursued more personal musical explorations.