Alex Carvalho

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1983

Genres

jazz, instrumental, MPB

Instruments

guitar, acoustic guitar

Biography

Alexandre Carvalho, better known as Alex Carvalho, was born in Rio de Janeiro and established himself as one of the greatest references in jazz guitar in Brazil and the United States. The son of musical parents, he had early exposure to the piano, bossa nova, and jazz, although he began his journey on the guitar influenced by rock in his adolescence. He started his professional career in the 1980s, playing with artists such as Marcos Sabino and Idriss Boudrioua, with whom he would later form highly prominent partnerships in the Brazilian instrumental scene.

Throughout his career, Alex was a member of Victor Assis Brasil's quintet and collaborated with renowned names in national and international music, including João Bosco — with whom he undertook world tours —, Leo Gandelman, Ed Motta, and Robertinho Silva. His collaborative album with Idriss Boudrioua, "Central Park West", was acclaimed by critics from the newspaper O Globo as one of the best albums of the genre ever released in the country. In addition to his intense stage activity, he has recorded praised solo works, such as the CD "Rio Joy".

Academically, Carvalho earned his doctorate in music from the Manhattan School of Music in New York, an institution where he also worked as a teacher and trained several renowned instrumentalists. He has written for specialized publications such as Guitar Player and Guitar Class magazines, in addition to teaching on digital music education platforms. His career unites the excellence of jazz improvisation with the harmonic sophistication of MPB.