Interview
Gaio de Lima
Muriel Porter
I met with Gaio in a cafe close to Trafalgar Square in early December last year and really picked up on his energy, enthusiasm
and love of music and sharing. He plans to set up a Brazilian Mandolin Orchestra in London this year, anyone interested?
Q. “Where did music begin for you?”
A. “My grandfather was a
percussionist at Mangueira Samba
School, while my mother was part
of Afro-religious traditions called
Umbanda & Candomble and a
great samba dancer. I was born
in a shanty town (‘favela’/’morro’)
of Lapa, central territory in Rio
de Janeiro for all national and
international exchange of music,
dance and culture. This is how
I came to inherit music before
I even noticed. As a 7 year old
I would switch vinyls for my
grandfather and pretend I was not a little boy anymore
but the gramophone’s guardian, and by selecting and
delivering good music I would succeed in my mission to
keep people singing and smiling like my grandfather. At
my mother’s church I was invited to take part, playing
percussion and guess what? This time I was gate keeper
between seen and unseen worlds where music was the key
that would allow both worlds to interlock. In the suburbs I
learned Samba-Partido-Alto, Umabanda, Jongo and Pagode
while in central zone I was exposed to capoeria, samba de
raiz, choro, forro, baiao, and marchinha de carnival, and in
south zone I learned bossa nova, jazz, rock and classical
music.”
Q. “How did you learn to play so many instruments and do
you have a favourite?”
A. “An approach to music in Brazil does not require any
type of formality. Music is an action, it’s something we do
naturally, just like drinking tea in UK! People here often ask
if I like tea. If I say no, they ask if I would prefer coffee.
The same applies to music in Brazil. Instead of tea I was
offered to try different instruments in different zones of Rio.
Sometimes the same instrument, but the way of playing
was different. In central zone I could have music 24 hours
a day. Many times musicians asked if I wanted to try and
play their instrument; interestingly, musicians and audience
would be thrilled at my attempt to play and would celebrate
by clapping, screaming and dancing, even though my music
at that time may have sounded dreadful.” At this point
Gaio gives a big smile. “To choose only one instrument as
favourite is like choosing a favourite child in your family.
I have been playing several instruments for many years
including 10 string mandolin, cavaquinho, guitar, pandeiro,
cajon, cuica, tan-tan, berimbau, congas and Brazilian banjo.”
Q. “Please share some of your musical achievements with
us”
A. “Several of my compositions have been recorded by
internationally reno ݹ