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Célia Vaz began studying music in the 60’s at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music. Along with this she took guitar classes with Sidney Miller and Jards Macalé.

In 1972 Célia won a scholarship for the Arranging and Composition course of Berkley College of Music (Boston, MA, U.S) she graduated in 1976. Before returning to Brazil she made and arranged an LP with ex Sergio Mendes and Brazil superstar and drummer Dom Um Romao, called ‘Hotmosphere’ on Pablo records.

Once she had returned to Brazil, Celia continued her harmony studies with conductor/composer Guerra Peixe. She made arrangements for artists and productions like Joyce, Billy Eckstine, Rio Jazz Orchestra, Martinho da Vila and many more. She also worked as a teacher with students Antônio Adolfo, Mauro Sensise under her wing. She appeared on several different artists albums and has been developing her international solo career since the 90s.

Her first solo album ‘Mutação’ came out in 1980 with guest artist Pat Metheny and others. In the 80s she organised and conducted the Orquestra Célia Vaz in which she worked with Rosinha de Valença and other artists.

In 1987 she became musical director, arranger and guitarist of the vocal group ‘Quarteto em Cy’ The group toured around Brazil, Japan, Cuba and Europe.

1995, she was invited to teach a course of vocal arranging in Rotterdam, Holland. In the same year she released her second solo album, Célia Vaz, which received the ‘Prêmio Sharp de Musica’. In this same year, Joe Davis had met Celia through mutual friend Joyce and asked Celia if she would record and arrange for the labels first big production ‘Friends from Rio’. ‘There were some marvellous tunes made and Celia is a truly unique and excellent artist’ Joe recalls.

In January 1997 Vaz and Wanda Sá performed in Tokyo to promote her CD ‘Brasileiras’ Vaz remained here until March 1997. She also performed three shows in Cuba and in June she was the arranger of the CD ‘Bate Boca’ in the same year.

From 1995 to 2000 Célia Vaz recorded three CDs which were released through Far Out Recordings and Soul Jazz Records, she toured around Japan, Tokyo and Kobe. As well as this she had been involved wit the 2nd volume of ‘Friends from Rio’. In 1998, Celia made the Ebb and Flow CD with the UK based producers APE for Far Out Recordings. It is an alternative project on the label and was always supposed to be a marriage of her sound and the sound of APE, Adrian Corker and Paul Conboy. The critical acclaimed CD was released and distributed world wide.

Since these releases, Celia is constantly working as an arranger for many artists including Quarteto Em Cy and is always recording and is involved with many interesting art projects in Rio’s forever developing culture and arts scene.

Discography

Mutação – Celia Vaz
Célia Vaz (Leblon Records) 1981
Brasileiras – Wanda Sá & Célia Vaz (CID) 1996
Ebb & Flow – Célia Vaz & Ape (Far Out Recordings) 1999