Lelo Nazario

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Also known as

Joaquim Carlos Pinto Nazário

Years Active

1975

Genres

instrumental music, jazz, electroacoustic music, avant-garde, brazilian music

Instruments

piano, keyboards, synthesizers

Biography

Lelo Nazario, born Joaquim Carlos Pinto Nazário on July 15, 1956, is a renowned Brazilian composer, pianist, arranger, and music producer, recognized for his experimental and timeless approach to contemporary music. He showed musical aptitude early on, beginning his piano studies at the age of four. His passion for the avant-garde led him, at seventeen, to join Hermeto Pascoal's group, alongside his brother, drummer Zé Eduardo Nazario. This initial collaboration was fundamental in shaping his artistic identity, exploring fusions of jazz, classical music, and Brazilian rhythms.

In 1976, Lelo Nazario founded Grupo Um, a milestone in Brazilian instrumental music, known for its bold sound experiments and the combination of acoustic elements with national rhythms within contemporary musical structures. The group released influential albums such as "Marcha Sobre a Cidade" (1979), considered one of the most important records in the history of Brazilian instrumental music. Simultaneously, he led the Symmetric Ensemble and, in 1980, created Utopia Studio, a space for experimentation that resulted in his first solo albums, such as "Lagrima / Sursolide suite" (1982) and "Discurso aos Objetos / Balada Unidimensional" (1984).

Throughout his career, Lelo Nazario also joined the group Pau Brasil, with which he recorded acclaimed albums and participated in major projects. His work, which encompasses music for piano, orchestra, ensembles, electroacoustic music, soundtracks for film, television, opera, dance, and theater, is presented at festivals and concerts in Brazil and abroad. Nazario is celebrated for his ability to transition between different musical languages, creating a unique style that explores the boundaries between the contemporary and the popular, consolidating himself as one of the leading names in Brazilian musical avant-garde.

Discography

• Lágrima / Sursolide Suite (1982)
• Discurso aos Objetos / Balada Unidimensional (1984)
• Se... (1987) (1989)
• Simples (1998)
• Marlui Miranda e Lelo Nazário – Hans Staden (1999)
• Africasiamerica (2006)
• Projeto MI² (2019)
• Jardim Oriental dos Primeiros Desejos (2020)
• Afro-Atlântico (2021)
• Lelo Nazario, Zeca Assumpção – Depois do Silêncio (2022)
• ETERNESENSE (2023)
• Lelo Nazario + MARV – Ress​í​ntese (2024)
• Passado Presente (2025)
• Vereda (2026)