Fred Martins
- Origin
- Niterói, RJ
- Years active
- 1980
- Genres
- mpb, samba, choro, bossa nova
- Instruments
- acoustic guitar, voice
Biography
Born in Niterói in 1969, Fred Martins is a distinguished figure in contemporary Música Popular Brasileira (MPB), known for his sophisticated guitar arrangements and emotive vocals. He began his creative journey in the 1980s, collaborating with Marcelo Diniz and Manoel Gomes. For a decade, he honed his musicality by transcribing songbooks for Editora Lumiar, meticulously studying the works of Brazilian masters such as Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil, and Tom Jobim. This deep immersion in the classics provided him with a technical and stylistic foundation that would late define his own compositions.\n\nMartins' solo career took flight following the release of his debut contributions in the late 90s, characterized by an aesthetic heavily influenced by the bossa nova legend João Gilberto. Over the years, he has successfully blended traditional rhythms like samba and choro with contemporary sensibilities. His talent as a songwriter was officially recognized on a national scale when he won the 9th Visa Award for Brazilian Music (Composers Edition) in 2006. In addition to his solo work, his songs have been recorded by prominent voices in Brazilian music, including Zélia Duncan and Ney Matogrosso.\n\nIn the latter part of his career, Fred Martins expanded his horizons beyond Brazil, moving to Galicia and later to Portugal. His later albums, such as 'A música é meu país' and 'Ultramarino', reflect this transatlantic journey. The latter features collaborations with notable musicians like the cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. Despite his international residence, he remains deeply connected to the Brazilian scene, regularly returning for tours in major cultural hubs like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.