Wagner Tiso

Wagner Tiso stands out as a globally celebrated artist whose influence helped propel the career of singer Milton Nascimento, who composed scores for numerous films, issued 28 solo recordings, and shared stages with jazz luminaries including Edison Machado, Paulo Moura, Ron Carter, and Johnny Alf. He appeared regularly at premier European jazz events such as those in Montreux, Berlin, Montmartre in Denmark, and Nice, as well as prominent venues across Greece, Italy, France, Austria, and Germany. Growing up self-taught in an isolated mountain town in Minas Gerais, Tiso assembled an ensemble that performed at neighborhood gatherings before moving on to local clubs under the names Luar de Prata and, from 1958 to 1961, the W's Boys.

Lifelong friend and collaborator Milton Nascimento recalls their initial joint stage outing when both were fourteen: "I was a neighbor of Tiso's and we used to perform together. Because we were underage, when the inspectors came, we used to run for the kitchen, where we would drink guaraná and eat chips." After relocating to Belo Horizonte, Tiso performed with the Berimbau Trio between 1962 and 1964. He arrived in Rio the following year and entered the Sambacana ensemble, making his first recording for Odeon. From 1964 to 1965 he served as pianist in the Edison Machado Quartet. Between 1965 and 1967 he formed a productive partnership with clarinetist and conductor Paulo Moura that demonstrated the viability of purely instrumental music. In 1967 he supplied the musical direction for the Canecão opening gala featuring Maysa Matarazzo under Paulo Moura's supervision. During this same stretch he accompanied leading vocalists such as Cauby Peixoto and Marcos Valle.

In 1969 Tiso joined Som Imaginário, the ensemble formed to support Milton Nascimento in both studio and concert settings. That year he also toured extensively, appearing in Athens and Montreux, and performed in the United States alongside Ron Carter, Flora Purim, and Airto Moreira while continuing his work with Milton. He supplied the score for Ruy Guerra's film Os Deuses e os Mortos the same year. In 1970 Som Imaginário released its debut LP on Odeon, and Tiso launched his conducting career with the live recording Milagres dos Peixes Ao Vivo in tandem with Milton Nascimento. He received honors as Best Arranger from the São Paulo Art Critics Association as well as from the Folha de São Paulo, Jornal do Brasil, and O Globo. The following year the group issued Som Imaginário II on the same label. In 1972 they recorded Cabeça de Porco, which earned Best Record recognition from both the São Paulo Art Critics Association and Jornal do Brasil.

During 1974 Tiso contributed to Flora Purim's Montreux LP and Wayne Shorter's Native Dancer. In 1975 he was again named Best Arranger for projects involving Milton, Fafá de Belém, and Gal Costa. He composed the score for Walter Lima Jr.'s 1977 film Lyra dos Deuses. His self-titled debut solo album appeared on Odeon in 1978 and was cited as Best Record by the São Paulo Critics Association; critics also ranked him among the foremost figures in Brazilian music history. The next year Odeon released Assim Seja. In 1980 he created music for Ferreira Gullar's stage work Poema Sujo and recorded Trem Mineiro for Odeon, which received Best Record and Best Show accolades from Jornal do Brasil in 1981. That same year he scored Walter Lima Jr.'s Inocência, later honored with Best Musical Direction at the 1983 Brasília Film Festival, earned Best Arranger distinction from the Brazilian Records Association for Milton's Sentinela, and issued Toca Brasil on Ariola/Barclay.

For the same label he released Wagner Tiso ao Vivo na Europa in 1982 and, in 1983, the duet album Todas as Teclas with César Camargo Mariano, which the press outlets Isto É, Domingo, Veja, Playboy, Jornal do Brasil, O Globo, Folha de São Paulo, and O Estado de São Paulo all named Best Instrumental Record; it also ranked among the year's top-selling instrumental releases in Brazil. Tiso himself received Best Arranger and Best Keyboardist honors from Playboy in 1983 for that project. He scored Walter Lima Jr.'s Chico Rei in 1984, which won Best Soundtrack at the 1987 Colombia Film Festival, and Silvio Tendler's documentary Jango, awarded Best Soundtrack at the Gramado Film Festival. In 1985 he recorded Coração de Estudante for Barclay and Os Pássaros for Odeon; the former earned Best Show, Best Record, Best Music, Best Musician, and Best Record citations from Rio press and Rádio Tupi. He supplied music for Ramalho Júnior's Besame Mucho and the soap opera Dona Beija in 1986, and that year Polygram issued Branco & Preto -- Preto & Branco, honored with the Villa-Lobos Award for Best Arranger and Best Orchestrator in 1987, along with Giselle.

With João Carlos Assis Brasil and Ney Matogrosso he recorded A Floresta Amazônica, featuring Villa-Lobos compositions, in 1987. The following year he scored Osvaldo Caldeira's O Grande Mentacapto and the television series Primo Basílio, while releasing Manu-çaruê on Polygram and Coração Imprevisto; he also collaborated with Eugênia Melo e Castro on a Valentim de Carvalho release. In 1989 Portugal's education ministry commissioned six documentary scores from him; he issued the compilation Cine Brasil on Polygram and Só Louco with Nana Caymmi on EMI, plus additional documentary music. He recorded Baobab for Polygram in 1990 and Wagner Tiso -- Profissão: Música for the same label in 1992. For Trem Mineiro he released O Livro de Jó in 1993. The live set Wagner Tiso ao vivo com Rio Cello Ensemble appeared on BMG in 1995, followed the same year by Wagner Tiso e Orquestra de Cordas Brasileiras in the Brasil Musical series. The series continued with Wagner Tiso e Paulo Moura in 1996. Brazilian Scenes came out on the French label Kardum/Iris Musique in 1997, the same year Rob Digital issued A Ostra e o Vento; in 1999 Visom released Debussy e Fauré Encontram Milton e Tiso.