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Gilberto Gil

Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (born 26 June 1942), known professionally as Gilberto Gil (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʒiwˈbɛʁtu ˈʒiw]), is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including rock, Brazilian genres including samba, African music, and reggae.

Gil started to play music as a child and was a teenager when he joined his first band. He began his career as a bossa nova musician and grew to write songs that reflected a focus on political awareness and social activism. He was a key figure in the Música popular brasileira and tropicália movements of the 1960s, alongside artists such as longtime collaborator Caetano Veloso. The Brazilian military regime that took power in 1964 saw both Gil and Veloso as a threat, and the two were held for nine months in 1969 before they were told to leave the country. Gil moved to London, but returned to Bahia in 1972 and continued his musical career, as well as worked as a politician and environmental advocate.

Gilberto Gil carries out a fundamental role in the constant modernization process of Brazilian popular music. Partaking of this scene for 41 years, he has developed one of the most relevant and renown careers as a singer, composer and guitar-player in this field. Gil has had his albums released abroad since 1978, the year of his successful performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland, recorded live. Every year he tours Europe, North America, Latin America and Japan with his contagious pop music spoken in Portuguese-Brazilian and international language, a music with a strong rhythmic appeal and melodic richness, as mixed as its people.

Rhythms from the northeast of Brazil like the baião, apart from samba and bossa-nova were fundamental in his formation. Using them as a starting point, Gil forged his own music to which he incorporated rock, reggae, funk and rhythms from Bahia such as afoxé. Gil has tackled a wide variety of issues in his lyrics, pertinent to modern reality: from social inequality to the racial question, from African to Oriental culture, from science to religion, among others. The mastership with which Gil explores these subjects makes him one of the greatest Brazilian composer-lyricists.

Gil's importance to the culture of his country goes back to the 60's, when he and Caetano Veloso created Tropicalism. Radically innovative in the music scene, the movement assimilated pop culture to national genres; deeply critical on political and moral levels, Tropicalism ended up being repressed by the authoritarian regime. Gil and Caetano were imprisoned and exiled.

Gilberto Gil: Gilbertos Samba / Sergio Mendes: Magic

by Maurizio Zerbo
October 21, 2014

Gilberto Gil Gilbertos Samba Valutazione: * * * * Sony Music (2014) Nell'incontro con partner sensibili di generazioni differenti, l'ex ministro brasiliano della cultura sfodera una classe cristallina non sempre valorizzata nelle incisioni discografiche. In primo piano, la rilettura con voce e chitarra di alcuni standard della bossa nova. Superbo chitarrista, Gilberto Gil suona con grande mobilità ritmica lo strumento, dando vita ad un fraseggio ricco di nuances. Per questo superbo progetto sostenuto da ...

Live Review

Gilberto Gil: Oakland, CA, October 25, 2012

by Harry S. Pariser
December 27, 2012

Gilberto GilSan Francisco Jazz FestivalParamount TheaterOakland, CAOctober 25, 2012It is a rare opportunity to see an international icon perform, so singer Gilberto Gil's recent appearance in Oakland, CA's gorgeous Paramount Theater--part of the San Francisco International Jazz Festival--was quite the event.Before hitting on his unique genius for blending diverse musical styles to become a Brazilian international superstar, Gil made a living selling bananas in a shopping mall and composing television jingles. ...

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Live Review

Gilberto Gil at the Nokia Theatre

by Ernest Barteldes
March 19, 2010

Gilberto Gil Nokia Theatre New York, NY March 11, 2010

Playing to a nearly sold-out crowd at the midtown Manhattan concert venue, Gilberto Gil sauntered onto the stage alone, picked up his guitar and began playing “A Linha e o Linho," a gentle bossa that set the tone for this pared-down concert. He then introduced guitarist Bem Gil (his son) and cellist Jaques Morelembaum, who have accompanied him on the ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Gilberto Gil

Source: Michael Ricci
June 26, 2023

All About Jazz is celebrating Gilberto Gil's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Gilberto Gil

Source: Michael Ricci
June 26, 2022

All About Jazz is celebrating Gilberto Gil's birthday today!

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Gilberto Gil

Source: Michael Ricci
June 29, 2021

All About Jazz is celebrating Gilberto Gil's birthday today!

Birthday

Source: Truly Render
November 4, 2012

Friday, November 16, 2012, 8:00 pm Hill Auditorium (825 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor) Gilberto Gil, vocals and guitar Sergio Chiavazzoli, guitars Arthur Maia, bass guitar Jorge Gomes, zabumba/drums Toninho Ferragutti, accordion Gustavo di Dalva, percussion Nicholas Krassik, violin/ rabeca Gilberto Gil has modernized – and continues to modernize – Brazilian popular music. From musical revolutionary to international pop star to beloved statesman, Gilberto Gil has ...
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