Wagner Tiso

Origin

Três Pontas, MG

Also known as

Wagner Tiso Veiga

Years Active

1964

Genres

MPB, jazz, classical, instrumental, progressive rock

Instruments

piano, keyboards

Biography

Wagner Tiso is a cornerstone of Brazilian instrumental music, renowned as a pianist, composer, and conductor. Born in Três Pontas, Minas Gerais, he received a classical education and studied music theory under the guidance of the great woodwind master Paulo Moura. Tiso became a central figure in the Clube da Esquina movement, forming a lifelong creative partnership with Milton Nascimento. Together, they helped redefine the sound of Brazilian music by blending regional folk traditions with jazz and rock sensibilities.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Tiso founded the progressive group Som Imaginário, which initially served as the backing band for Milton Nascimento. This ensemble, featuring musicians like Robertinho Silva and Luiz Alves, became a legendary force in Brazilian jazz-rock. As a sought-after arranger, Tiso lent his sophisticated touch to albums by icons such as Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, and Gonzaguinha, bridging the gap between erudite arrangements and popular MPB.

Beyond his work in popular music, Tiso is a prolific composer of film and television soundtracks, collaborating frequently with director Walter Lima Júnior on projects like 'A Ostra e o Vento' and 'Inocência'. His legacy is marked by an immense versatility that allows him to transition seamlessly from conducting symphony orchestras to performing in intimate jazz settings, solidifying his status as a master of the "mineira" musical tradition.

Discography

• Wagner Tiso (1978)
• Assim Seja (1979)
• Marcos Valle, Wagner Tiso, Manfredo Fest – Um Piano ao Cair da Tarde - Nacional - Volume 2 (1979)
• Trem Mineiro (1980)
• Toca Brasil (Arraial das Candongas) (1982)
• Ao Vivo na Europa (1983)
• Wagner Tiso & César Camargo Mariano – Todas as Teclas (1983)
• Coração de Estudante (1985)
• Os Pássaros (1985)
• Branco e Preto (1986)
• Villa-Lobos - João Carlos Assis Brasil, Ney Matogrosso, Wagner Tiso – A Floresta do Amazonas (1988)
• Manú Çaruê - Uma Aventura Holística (1988)
• Nana Caymmi & Wagner Tiso – Só Louco (1989)
• Cine Brasil (1989)
• Wagner Tiso's Brasil (1990)
• Baobab (1990)
• Profissão: Música (1991)
• O Livro de Jó (1993)
• Orquestra de Cordas Brasileiras e Wagner Tiso (1993)
• Wagner Tiso / Paulo Moura – Brasil Musical (1995)
• Wagner Tiso, Rio Cello Ensemble, Marcio Montarroyos, Nico Assumpção – Ao Vivo (1995)
• Brazilian Scenes (1997)
• A Ostra e o Vento (1997)
• Wagner Tiso & Rio Cello Ensemble – Debussy & Fauré Encontram Milton & Tiso (1998)
• Wagner Tiso & Rio Cello Ensemble – Tom Jobim Villa-Lobos (2000)
• Canções de Godofredo Guedes (2000)
• Wagner Tiso & Zé Renato – Memorial (2002)
• Wagner Tiso com Orquestra Sinfônica Petrobras Pró Música , Regência Roberto Tibiriçá – Villa-Lobos Jobim Tiso - Cenas Brasileiras (2003)
• Cenas Brasileiras (2003)
• Wagner Tiso, Victor Biglione – Tocar a Poética do Som (2004)
• 60 Anos - Um Som Imaginário (2006)
• A Palavra do Silêncio (2007)
• Samba e Jazz (2008)
• Os Desafinados (2008)
• Milton Nascimento, Wagner Tiso – Ensaio (2011)
• Wagner Tiso Convida Marcio Malard – Outras Canções de Cinema (2011)
• The Finland Concert (Ao Vivo) (2021)