Celso Bastos

Origin

Brasília, DF

Also known as

Celso Ribeiro Bastos Filho

Years Active

1993

Genres

MPB, brazilian instrumental music, chamber music

Instruments

guitar

Biography

Celso Bastos is a Brazilian classical and popular guitarist, arranger, and composer born in Brasília. He pursued rigorous academic training in music, earning a bachelor's degree in guitar and a teaching license from the Universidade de Brasília (UnB), followed by a master's degree from the Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG). Alongside his performance and composition work, he has dedicated decades to music education, serving as a faculty member at the Escola de Música de Brasília since 1993, where he teaches subjects ranging from music theory and technology to arranging and popular guitar.

In 1996, leveraging his extensive background in guitar and arrangement, he joined forces with instrumentalists Ocelo Mendonça and Toinho Alves to found the Alma Brasileira Trio. The ensemble's name was conceived as a direct tribute to the legendary Brazilian classical composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. The trio focused on sophisticated instrumental interpretations of Brazilian music, blending chamber music sensibilities with popular traditions.

The group released their self-titled debut album in 2003, featuring masterworks and beloved compositions by iconic Brazilian artists such as Tom Jobim and Edu Lobo. Through his work with the trio and his academic endeavors, Bastos has contributed significantly to the preservation and dissemination of Brazilian instrumental music, bridging the gap between formal pedagogy and popular performance. He shares musical affinities and stylistic roots with prominent Brazilian artists like Yamandu Costa, Baden Powell, and Toquinho.