【Interview】 Fabiano do Nascimento, “Words are hard to describe how much I enjoy and appreciate the Japanese listeners.”

Los Angeles-based Rio de Janeiro-born guitarist Fabiano do Nascimento will perform his first solo concert in Japan in five years at BAROOM in Minami Aoyama. He is an artist who inherits the experimental spirit of Brazilian instrumental music from Hermeto Pascual, Baden-Powell and Carioca, and also plays a central role in the LA scene led by Sam Gendell and others. In this performance, you will be able to "enjoy a performance that expands the possibilities of guitar music", manipulating 6-string, 7-string, 10-string and mini guitars.

◆Fabiano do Nascimento Related footage＆image

──I heard you are born in a musical family in Rio and had classic music and music theory education in your early childhood. What kind of training did you get as a child?

My training came in many forms. I played classical piano as a kid from age 6. I had musician uncles who played guitar, bass and mandolin who showed me all kinds of music such as Guinga, Hermeto Pascoal, Jacob do Bandolim, Jobim, Djavan and many more. I had a flute teacher for a year at age 8, I played upright Bass at age 13 for a few years in school.I would also pick up on MPB songs on the radio by ear, teaching myself how to play guitar. At age 14 I finally went to a formal Music conservatory in Rio called, Conservatório de Musica Brasileira, where I had my first official guitar teacher learning Villa-Lobos, Garoto, Dilermando Reis, Leo Brouwer, Radamés Gnatalli, Joao Pernambuco, Pixinguinha, Hermeto Pascoal and more. It is difficult to say exactly where my training came from because I always connected a thread through many styles and genres, finding connections in all of it which made it easier for me to understand music in a deeper way.

──What made you start playing the guitar?

I started playing the guitar more at age 9 or 10 influenced by my uncle Lúcio Nascimento and a friend from my neighborhood who showed me my first little tricks and chords on the guitar.

──I heard you are mainly self-taught in Brazilian music and Jazz and obtained so much techniques. What kind of Brazilian music have you been inspired by? How did you study Jazz?

Yes, mainly self-taught but I also, fortunately, I had a few great teachers at different times in my life. I was influenced by a wide range of Brazilian music. From Choro to Bossa and MPB. My first official guitar teacher at age 14 in Rio, was teaching me already how to improvise to Hermeto Pascoal songs such as "Bebê", where the chord progressions have a series of 2/5's and key changes. I was listening already to many guitarists at the time such as Rafael Rabello, Hélio Delmiro, Baden, Guinga, Leo Brouwer and many more.

──Besides traditional Brazilian music, I sometimes feel Hip-Hop essence from your music like Triorganico. What kind of music do you listen to? What kind of music have you been influenced by?

I've always listened to all kinds of music, even Afro-Brazilian religious music and Indigenous music. Nana Vasconcellos, Marlui Miranda, Monica Salmaso and Leny Andrade were big influences on me. Sometimes I don't listen to any music at all, and it still influences me. Sometimes I hear things in my head I have no idea where it comes from or where I've heard it. I was exposed to hip-hop in the early 2000's through my DJ brother but it was never a big influence. I was just enjoying different things during those times when I first moved to the US. Even listening to artists such as Nobukazu Takemura, Tortoise, Massive attack, and many more. My first band in LA "Triorganico" was very much influenced by Hermeto's music and the great woodwind player Pablo Calogero.

──How and when did you establish your composing and playing style? And what inspired you?

I’m not sure what inspired me to compose. I started interpreting pieces, arranging and composing around age 15. I liked it because it was a challenge. My uncle and musicians from his band would heard me playing or practicing at his house and would tell me that I had a unique "identity" already in my sound and the way I played even though I was pretty young. So It was not something I consciously looked for, it was something that just came naturally I believe.

──How have LA music scene and community influenced you?

I'm not so sure because I always felt like a "fish out of water" in LA. I've always just did my own thing and in fact, I stayed mostly away from any music scene in LA. The music scene in Brazil, (Rio, São Paulo and Brasília) had much more of an influence on me.

──What made you start playing the multi-strings guitars? How have the instruments changed your musicality?

One of my favorite composers of all time, Egberto Gismonti, was a big influence in that transition and my curiosity about the 8 string and 10 string guitars. Trying many different tunings also. I'm not sure when I made that transition, it was slow and gradual over the years. At the same time, I was already experimenting with playing the Oktav guitar to accompany other guitarists so I can be at a higher register and not clash sonically with them.

──I play the guitar but only 6-strings. I cannot play 7-strings or 8-strings. To me those are completely different instruments. Are there any tips to master multi-strings guitars?

They are different yes, but I think it all depends on what you want to do with them. For example, 7-string guitar is used a lot in Choro music in Brazil as an accompanying instrument. Focusing on counterpoint bass lines. I started playing the 7-string interested in that kind of playing but quickly realized that much I preferred to use the 7-string guitar for solo arrangements and as a composing tool.


──Das Nuvens has more electric tastes than previous albums. What does Das Nuvens mean to you?

Das Nuvens was all composed on a 7-string nylon guitar believe it or not. It is 100% played on Nylon string guitar as foundation. Some reviews out there say that I played electric but that is not true. Also, some reviews out there say that Das Nuvens is a complete change in my style or a reaction to some of my friend's music or influenced by musicians like Thundercat or Sam Gendel which is also not true at all. Das Nuvens is very much me doing what I always did, exploring harmonies, harmonics, melodies, sitting at home playing guitar except this time I put my guitar through pedals and added some beats similarly to my album Ykytu, while having fun creating with my good friend and great composer / guitarist Daniel Santiago.


──What kind of solo concert are you going to play at Baroom this time?

I will be performing a mix of solo compositions and arrangements on multiple guitars. Some from my recent albums and some from unreleased works.

──Is there anything you can do only when you do a solo concert?

Yes, performing solo is a bit different. It gives me more freedom with time, improvisation and dynamics.

──Do you feel differently when you play with a band? (You feel better with a band, you get nervous when you do solo, or you can be yourself when you do solo etc.)

That is a great question. I do feel differently when I play solo. There is a bigger sense of responsibility and focus required. While with a band, having other musicians to exchange energy with,  makes it more like playing on a team, where we can pass the ball around. However, I do also enjoy playing solo a lot.

──What brought you to Onomichi Freedom University? What was the lecture “Time when the soul trembles” about?

I was invited to play at the Onomichi freedom University once around 2017 or 2018, but it was not a lecture. I just performed. I barely remember to be honest, and I didn't give that name to the lecture "Time when the soul trembles". I don't know where that came from.

──I think your style expands the potential of guitar and music. Do you think your music will still keep expanding?

Thank you so much and yes, I feel like I am just beginning to scratch the surface of something that I probably won't have enough time in this lifetime to expand upon. But I will keep (hopefully) growing in that sense.

──Do you have anything you want to try with music?

Many things. For example, I want to try recording with the Uakti instruments in Minas Gerais next year.

──Are there any upcoming shows and albums?

Besides this tour in Japan, there is one more album 'Mundo Solo" coming out on FarOut recordings in November this year and a Europe tour in the works for next year. Also 2 more albums are coming next year. One live and one that was recorded 10 years ago with a good friend of mine which you know, I will keep his name secret for now. But it is coming out on RealWorld music label early 2024.

──Please give us a message to your Japanese fans :)

Words are hard to describe how much I enjoy and appreciate the Japanese listeners. I feel that the people here really listen to and care about music in a special way. 
Giving it the respect and space, it deserves. While giving me the energy and motivation to keep searching and creating. Arigatou gozaimasu.





◆Fabiano do Nascimento Official Website
◆BAROOM Official Website