Ricardo Peixoto

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1980s–present

Genres

jazz, brazilian music, choro, samba, bossa nova, baião

Instruments

electric guitar, acoustic guitar

Biography

Ricardo Peixoto is a renowned Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger, born in Rio de Janeiro. His musical career gained international prominence when he moved to the United States, where he obtained a scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After his graduation, he settled in the Bay Area in California, becoming a prominent figure in the Brazilian music scene in the USA.

With a style that transitions fluidly between the rich Brazilian musical tradition and the improvisational freedom of jazz, Ricardo Peixoto is known for his original melodic and harmonic approach. His compositions frequently explore Brazil's rhythmic and melodic complexities, integrating them with elements of jazz and classical music. This unique fusion positions him as one of the leading representatives of the Brazilian guitar abroad.

Throughout his career, Ricardo Peixoto has collaborated with a vast array of renowned artists, including Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, Bud Shank, Dom Um Romão, Sivuca, Claudio Roditi, Toots Thielemans, Dori Caymmi, Guinga, and the Brazilian singer Cláudia Villela, with whom he has released several acclaimed albums, such as "Inverse Universe". In addition to his career as a musician, he also works as an educator, teaching at the California Jazz Conservatory and at renowned music camps.

Discography

• Claudia Villela & Ricardo Peixoto – Inverse Universe (2001)
• Scary Beautiful (2019)