Biography Gilberto Gil

1 biography

1.1 years (1942–1963)
1.2 musical career (1963–present)
1.3 political career (1987–present)
1.4 personal life

biography
early years (1942–1963)

gil born in salvador, industrial city in northeast of brazil, though spent of childhood in nearby ituaçu. ituaçu small town of fewer thousand, located in sertão, or countryside, of bahia. father, josé gil moreira, doctor; mother, claudina passos gil moreira, elementary school teacher. young boy, attended marist brothers school. gil remained in ituaçu until 9 years old, returning salvador secondary school.

gil s interest in music precocious: when 2 or 2 , half, recalled, told mother going become musician or president of country. grew listening forró music of native northeast, , took interest in street performers of salvador. on, began play drums , trumpet, through listening bob nelson on radio. gil s mother chief supporter in musical ambitions; bought him accordion and, when ten years old, sent him music school in salvador attended 4 years. accordionist, gil first played classical music, grew more interested in folk , popular music of brazil. particularly influenced singer , accordion player luiz gonzaga; began sing , play accordion in emulation of gonzaga s recordings. gil has noted grew identify gonzaga because sang world around [him], world [he] encountered.

during years in salvador, gil encountered music of songwriter dorival caymmi, says represented him beach-oriented samba music of salvador. gonzaga , caymmi gil s formative influences. while in salvador, gil introduced many other styles of music, including american big band jazz , tango. in 1950 gil moved salvador family. there, while still in high school, joined first band, os desafinados (the out of tunes), in played accordion , vibraphone , sang. os desafinados influenced american rock , roll musicians elvis presley, singing groups rio de janeiro. band active 2 3 years. afterwards, inspired brazilian star joão gilberto, settled on guitar primary instrument , began play bossa nova.

musical career (1963–present)

gil met guitarist , singer caetano veloso @ universidade federal da bahia (federal university of bahia) in 1963. 2 began collaborating , performing together, releasing single , ep afterwards. along maria bethânia (veloso s sister), gal costa, , tom zé, gil , veloso performed bossa nova , traditional brazilian songs @ vila velha theatre s opening night in july 1964, show entitled nós, por exemplo (us, example). gil , group continued perform @ venue , became musical director of concert series. gil collaborated again members of collective on landmark 1968 album tropicália: ou panis et circenses, style influenced beatles sgt. pepper s lonely hearts club band, album gil listened constantly. gil describes tropicália: ou panis et circenses birth of tropicália movement. gil describes it, tropicália (or tropicalismo) conflation of musical , cultural developments had occurred in brazil during 1950s , 1960s—primarily bossa nova , jovem guarda (young wave) collective—with rock , roll music united states , europe, movement deemed threatening brazilian government of time.

early on in 1960s, gil earned income selling bananas in shopping mall , composing jingles television advertisements; briefly employed brazilian division of unilever, gessy-lever. moved são paulo in 1965 , had hit single when song louvação (which later appeared on album of same name) released elis regina. however, first hit solo artist 1969 song aquele abraço . gil performed in several television programs throughout 1960s, included other tropicalistas , members of tropicalismo movement. 1 of these programs, divino maravilhoso, featured veloso, gained attention government television censors after aired satirical version of national anthem in december 1968.

in february 1969 gil , veloso arrested brazilian military government, brought são paulo rio de janeiro, , spent 3 months in prison , 4 under house arrest, before being freed on condition leave country. veloso first arrested; police moved gil s home afterward. veloso had directed then-wife andréa gadelha warn gil possibility of arrest, gil brought police van along veloso. given no reason or charge arrest. gil believes government felt actions represent[ed] threat [to them], new, can t quite understood, doesn t fit of clear compartments of existing cultural practices, , won t do. dangerous. during prison sentence, gil began meditate, follow macrobiotic diet, , read eastern philosophy. composed 4 songs during imprisonment, among them cérebro electrônico (electronic brain), first appeared on 1969 album gilberto gil 1969, , later on 2006 album gil luminoso. thereafter, gil , veloso exiled london, england after being offered leave brazil. 2 played last brazilian concert in salvador in july 1969, travelled portugal, paris, , london. , veloso took house in chelsea, sharing manager , wives. gil involved in organisation of 1971 glastonbury free festival , exposed reggae while living in london; recalls listening bob marley (whose songs later covered), jimmy cliff, , burning spear. heavily influenced , involved city s rock scene well, performing yes, pink floyd, , incredible string band. however, performed solo, recording gilberto gil (nêga) while in london. in addition involvement in reggae , rock scenes, gil attended performances jazz artists, including miles davis , sun ra.

gilberto gil performing in 2007

when went bahia in 1972, gil focused on musical career , environmental advocacy work. released expresso 2222 same year, 2 popular singles released. gil toured united states , recorded english-language album well, continuing release steady stream of albums throughout 1970s, including realce , refazenda. in 1970s gil participated in resurgence of afro-brazilian afoxé tradition in carnaval, joining filhos de gandhi (sons of gandhi) performance group, allowed black brazilians join. gil recorded song titled patuscada de gandhi written filhos de gandhi appeared on 1977 album refavela. greater attention paid afoxé groups in carnaval because of publicity gil had provided them through involvement; groups increased in size well. in late 1970s left brazil africa , visited senegal, ivory coast, , nigeria. worked jimmy cliff , released cover of no woman, no cry him in 1980, number 1 hit introduced reggae brazil.

in 1996, gil contributed refazenda aids-benefit album red hot + rio produced red hot organization.

in 1998 live version of album quanta won gil grammy award best world music album. in 2005 won grammy award best contemporary world music album eletracústico. in may 2005 awarded polar music prize carl xvi gustaf of sweden in stockholm, prize s first latin american recipient. on october 16 of same year received légion d honneur french government, coinciding année du brésil en france (brazil s year in france).

in 2010 released album fé na festa, record devoted forró, style of music brazil s northeast. tour promote album received negative feedback fans expecting hear set featuring hits. in 2013, gilberto gil plays own role singer , promoter of cultural diversity in long feature documentary shot around southern hemisphere swiss filmmaker pierre-yves borgeaud, viramundo: musical journey gilberto gil, distributed worldwide. film inaugurates t.i.d.e. experiment pan-european , multi-support releases.

political career (1987–present)

gil former president of brazil luiz inácio lula da silva

gil describes attitude towards politics thus: d rather see position in government of administrator or manager. politics necessary ingredient. political career began in 1987, when elected local post in bahia , became salvador secretary of culture. in 1988, elected city council , subsequently became city commissioner environmental protection. however, left office after 1 term , declined run national congress of brazil. in 1990, gil left brazilian democratic movement party , joined green party. during period, gil founded environmental protection organization onda azul (blue wave), worked protect brazilian waters. maintained full-time musical career @ same time, , withdrew temporarily politics in 1992, following release parabolicamará, considered 1 of successful efforts. on october 16, 2001 gil accepted nomination goodwill ambassador food , agriculture organization (fao) of united nations, having promoted organization before appointment.

when president luiz inácio lula da silva took office in january 2003, chose gil brazil s new minister of culture, second black person serve in country s cabinet. appointment controversial among political , artistic figures , brazilian press; remark gil made difficulties salary received particular criticism. gil not member of lula s workers party , did not participate in creating cultural program. shortly after becoming minister, gil began partnership between brazil , creative commons. minister, has sponsored program called culture points, gives grants provide music technology , education people living in poor areas of country s cities. gil has since asserted ve got young people becoming designers, making media , being used more , more television , samba schools , revitalizing degraded neighborhoods. s different vision of role of government, new role. gil has expressed interest in program establish internet repository of freely downloadable brazilian music. since gil s appointment, department s expenditures have increased on 50 percent. in november 2007 gil announced intention resign post due vocal cord polyp. lula rejected gil s first 2 attempts resign, accepted request in july 2008. lula said on occasion gil going being great artist, going giving priority important him.

personal life

gil has been married 4 times. fourth wife flora nair giordano gil moreira. couple has 5 children, 4 of whom still living. fifth child – pedro gil, egotrip s drummer – died in car accident in 1990. preta gil, actress , singer, daughter.

gil s religious beliefs have changed on lifetime. originally, christian, later influenced eastern philosophy , religion, and, later still, explored african spirituality. agnostic. practices yoga , vegetarian.

gil has been open fact has smoked marijuana of life. has said believes drugs should treated pharmaceuticals, legalized, although under same regulations , monitoring medicines .