Geraldo Vespar

Origin

Quixadá, CE

Also known as

Manuel Geraldo Vespar, Delano, Gerard

Years Active

1952

Genres

MPB, bossa nova, jazz, brazilian instrumental music

Instruments

classical guitar, guitar

Biography

Manuel Geraldo Vespar, professionally known as Geraldo Vespar, was born in Quixadá, Ceará, on November 9, 1937. He is a renowned Brazilian instrumentalist, arranger, and composer, with a career spanning from the 1950s. His musical background is solid, having studied theory and solfège with Geraldo Amaral, composition and orchestration with Paulo Silva, and harmony and counterpoint with Moacir Santos. In addition, he furthered his studies at the Music School of the University of Rio de Janeiro and at the Berklee School of Music in Boston, USA, where he focused on harmony and instrumentation.

Vespar began his professional career in 1952, accompanying amateur performers on Rádio Anhangüera in Goiânia. In the 1960s, he worked as a guitarist in nightclubs and joined Moacir Silva's ensemble. Throughout his career, he collaborated with several orchestras, including Astor's, TV Excelsior's under the direction of Maestro Zacarias, and Maestro Cipó's, where he worked as a soloist and arranger. His versatility led him to tour internationally with Paul Mauriat's Orchestra, performing in countries such as France, the Netherlands, Korea, Great Britain, and Japan.

His contribution to Brazilian music is vast, encompassing recordings with renowned artists such as Radamés Gnattali, Elza Soares, João Nogueira, Elizeth Cardoso, Beth Carvalho, and Clara Nunes. Vespar is also recognized for having developed studies on Brazilian popular rhythms for the classical guitar, which were later revived and popularized by classical guitarist Paulo Martelli. His work, which moves between popular and classical music, solidifies his place as one of the important names in Brazilian instrumental music.

Discography

• Take 5 (1964)
• Samba, Nova Geração (1965)
• Eu e o Violão (1968)
• Brasil Romantico (1975)