Marcos Silva

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Marcos Antônio Alves da Silva

Years Active

1973–present

Genres

jazz, brazilian jazz, jazz fusion, MPB

Instruments

piano, keyboard, synthesizer, guitar, bass, drums, flute

Biography

Marcos Silva is a Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and educator born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He began his musical studies at the age of 14 at the Museum of Image and Sound in Rio de Janeiro, where he studied music theory and guitar with notable instructors like Sebastião Tapajós and Guerra Peixe. Silva also took private piano lessons and studied flute with Altamiro Carrilho. He moved to the United States in 1980, living in New York for four years before relocating to California in 1984 to collaborate with Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, serving as their musical director for 23 years.

Throughout his extensive career, Silva has performed worldwide with numerous renowned jazz artists, including Paquito D'Rivera, Bud Shank, Dori Caymmi, and Toninho Horta. He has also written arrangements for Dizzy Gillespie's band and was instrumental in Airto Moreira's "Spiritual Mass" in Germany, even replacing Gil Evans as arranger-composer. His distinctive musical style is characterized by melodic jazz-fusion, infused with Brazilian rhythms and harmonies. Silva is also a sought-after producer and heads the Brazilian Music Department at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley.

Silva's compositions have been recorded by a variety of artists, including Bud Shank, Herbie Mann, and Romero Lubambo. He founded the group Intersection in 1984, with whom he recorded the LPs "White & Black" and "Here We Go." In addition to his performance and composition work, Silva has been recognized for his contributions to music education, receiving a Grammy nomination for Music Educator Award in 2013. His album "Brasil From Head To Toe," released in 2019, marked his return to recording after a 30-year hiatus and features original compositions showcasing his unique blend of Brazilian and jazz influences.

Discography

• Marcos Silva And Intersection – Here We Go (1987)
• Marcos Silva And Intersection – White & Black (1989)
• Brasil From Head To Toe (2019)
• Só Vaquejada (2022)