by Doc Dosco
This week we feature Brazilian guitarist Genil Castro. I have been meaning to do a feature on him for a while now. Genil is a very special player. Beautiful tone and feel. Very creative approach to the guitar. He studied with Joe Diorio when he was young, and that influence (among others) comes out in his playing. Do give him a listen….
Online Bio
Genil Castro started to play guitar in 1981 at 15. He studied acoustic guitar 'bossa nova” with Gamela (Sidney Barros) for two years. In 1983/84 Genil enrolled G.I.T for six months,during this period he had the opportunity to meet and study with Joe Diorio and also attended seminars with Lenny Breau, Howard Roberts,Ron Eschete, Larry Coryell, Mick Goodrick, Steve Morse, Moacir Santos, Carl Schroeder, Jeff Berlin, Tommy Tedesco, Frank Gambale among others.
Genil also studied with Joe Diorio at his guitar courses in Brazil in 1985/1989(Rio) and 1995(Brasilia), he also participated of E.M.B summer course in 1998 with Toninho Horta. Genil has played and/or recorded with important musicians such as: Joao Donato, Joe Diorio, Toninho Horta, Don Burrows, Vittor Santos, Nelson Faria, Jeff Andrews, Jorge Helder, Paulo Braga, Hamilton de Holanda, Paulo Russo, Andrew Scott Potter, Steve Barnes, Ademir Junior, Moisés Alves (Paraibach), Daniel Alcântara, Rubinho Antunes, Leandro Braga, Adriano Giffone, Carlos Bala, Widor Santiago, Carlos Malta, Márcio Bahia, Cássia Eller, Alex Carvalho, Carlos Ribeiro Jr,Sérgio Galvão, Cássio Moura, Marco Tulio Pinheiro, Yuri Popoff, Kiko Freitas, Lupa Santiago, Délia Fischer, Lourival Galliani, Arnou de Mello, Marcos Britto, Erivelton Silva, Nema Antunes, Eric Sayer,Ricardo Boy Nakamura, Phil deGreg, Mark Tracy, Gamela, Saulo Ferreira, Niromar Fernandes, Alex Queiroz, Serge Von Frasunkiewicz, Enrico Carinci,Paulo Dantas,Ticho Lavenere, Renato Vasconcellos, Oswaldo Amorim, Affinity Jazz trio, Marabeau Jazz trio,among others.
Influences:
Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Pat Martino, Joe Diorio, Lenny Breau, Ted Greene, Roy Buchanan, Gamela, Ed Bickert, Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Guinga, John Scofield, Niromar,Toninho Horta. John Main, Ken Wilber, Krishnamurti, Raimon Pannikar, Bede Griffths, Laurence Freeman, Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating, Paramahansa Yogananda,Alan Watts.
On the web:
http://www.myspace.com/genilcastro
Doc Dosco is a jazz guitarist, composer and audio consultant living in Los Angeles, CA. His website is located at http://www.docdosco.com, where you can find more information on the 'What's Hot with Jazz Guitar' columns, audio clips of Doc's playing, and many additional features. Doc now endorses Peerless Guitars and has the website Jazz Guitar Zone to help promote Peerless jazz guitars in the US. He also endorses the new Pignose Valve Tube Amps — great for jazz (and anything else!)
Great guitarist…I too have been watching him on Youtube and within the first few notes you know the cat can play!
What wonderful music he makes! What kind of guitar is that he plays?
Genil is one of greatest jazz guitarist in the history of jazz music.
I have followed Cenil’s progress since finding a video clip of him on You tube, and I see he is also now a respected teacher as well as musician and he deserves every success as the wonderful human being that he is.
I can agree with Jorge Boavista who commented before me. I was a semi pro guitarist /bass player for many years until a collision with a drunk driver brought my playing to a halt in 2001, I have since been trying to find ways to play again. I wrote to Genil from my You tube page http://www.youtube.com/user/PeteOlivermusic and he took the time to reply to me in English humbly accepting my praise and understanding of his music and offering me encouragement, and this has meant so much to me.
Pete Oliver (UK)
I am a jazz guitarist, and have really enjoyed everything about Gene’s playing. Many of our influences are the same (including Thomas Merton!), but Gene has developed his own voice. I hope he has a long career-not an easy thing to do, anymore.
Genil Castro has been my teacher for the last nine months and my admiration increases each time I meet him for class, not only as an exceptional guitarrist but also as the great human being he is.