Itamar Assiere

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1984

Genres

MPB, samba, jazz, instrumental music

Instruments

piano

Biography

Itamar Assiere Valente Júnior is a renowned Brazilian pianist, arranger, and composer born in Rio de Janeiro. He began his formal musical education at the age of six, later studying classical piano at the Escola de Música da UFRJ, as well as improvisation with Luiz Eça and arrangement with Ian Guest. Throughout his expansive career, Assiere has established himself as a versatile instrumentalist, working across multiple genres including samba, jazz, and MPB.

As a collaborative musician and arranger, Assiere has worked with numerous legendary figures of Brazilian music. In the 1990s, he participated in national and international tours with artists such as Beth Carvalho, Emílio Santiago, and Maria Bethânia, in addition to contributing to studio recordings for icons like Ivan Lins, Martinho da Vila, and Fátima Guedes. He also co-founded the world music group Batacotô in the early 1990s and later released acclaimed projects such as "Aos violões" and "Afro+Sambas" in partnership with Alexandre Caldi.

In addition to his performance work, Assiere is highly regarded as a musical director and arranger for theater and orchestral productions. He has arranged for major songbooks, directed musical revues celebrating duos like João Bosco and Aldir Blanc, and collaborated with the Orquestra Petrobras Sinfônica. His artistic achievements have earned him prestigious accolades, including the Prêmio Shell for his musical direction in the theatrical production of "Morte e Vida Severina".