Celia Vaz

Célia Vaz began studying music in the 60’s at the Brazilian Conservatory of Music. Along with this she took guitar classes with Sidney Millerand Jards Macalé. In 1972 Célia won a scholarship for the Arranging and Composition course of Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA, U.S) she graduated in 1976. Before returning to Brazil she wrote and arranged an album with ex Sergio Mendes band member and Brazilan superstar drummer Dom Um Romao, called ‘Hotmosphere’. After returing to Brazil Celia continued her harmony studies with conductor/composer Guerra Peixe. She made arrangements for artists 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’ which featured special guest Pat Metheny was released in 1980. 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’. In 1995, she was invited to teach a course of vocal arranging in Rotterdam, Holland and in the same year she released her second solo album, Célia Vaz, which received the ‘Prêmio Sharp de Musica’. Joe Davis  met Celia through mutual friend Joyce and asked Celia if she would record and arrange for the labels first big production ‘Friends from Rio’. ‘

From 1995 to 2000 Célia Vaz recorded three albums 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 second volume of ‘Friends from Rio’ and in 1998, Celia recorded her experimental electro-acoustic Ebb and Flow album alongside UK based production duo APE. 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.