KIKO LOUREIRO BLOG - ENGLISH

Kiko Loureiro in Manila by Francis Brew Reyes

2011-11-10T00:44:00.000-08:00

Kiko Loureiro of Angra recently did a guitar workshop for Laney amps and JB Music Philippines. To say that people were blown away is an understatement… while he is known for being a metal guitar hero, this is a guy who can, and did, play many styles of music during the two hour showcase. Sweeped arpeggios, two-handed playing, precision-picking, hybrid picking… you name it, he nails it. high speed metal runs? sure! then… he launches into long complex jazz lines, Joe Pass-style solo chordal guitar… and there is a percussiveness to his playing that reveals his Brazilian heritage. even when he plays legato, every note just pops out. to be frank, i got sick of shred guitar years ago… and then this guy comes along and proves that you can shred and be tasteful… and really musical. He makes everything look easy. his playing sure lit a fire that will be good for my own playing :)

Scary guitarist… and i was to join him and the JB Music peeps for dinner. I was anxious. He looked tired after the workshop (he also came from Indonesia, Taiwan, and Singapore) and might not be in the best of moods, although he was always congenial. he did seem nice enough while answering questions during the workshop but what if he snaps?
On the way to dinner, he asked socio-cultural questions; he noticed that most of us have Spanish surnames. He is genuinely curious about cultural stuff and Niña and I briefed him on Philippine history… and how unfortunate that what he was looking for (indigenous music) was difficult to find at that hour. “I guess it’s the same anywhere in the world, ” he lamented, “You have to go to a ‘tourist place’ to experience it. Not in the major cities…” He wasn’t much interested in hitting the bars or anything of that nature… he wanted to experience local culture. (We ended up watching a midget oil wrestling match in P. Burgos after dinner albeit reluctantly… ;p)

We had dinner at Casa Armas in Podium and there was little talk about guitar or music. The topics revolved around geography and it’s effect on the human psyche. i pointed this out and he said, “Ahh, talking about guitar…so boring!” He smiled and said, “It’s more interesting talking about other things… what’s the population in the Philippines? is it 94 million?” We talked about the symbolism of the 7 billionth baby… Niña asked him about a city in Finland (he is based there) and he elaborated on living in Europe compared to Brazil. when he did talk about music, he mentioned meeting Allan Holdsworth and explained, “My wife, she doesn’t know much the music of Allan, so i had her listen to his stuff. And she said ‘His harmonies are European.’ You know, like ECM? but he is based in California, you know it’s a different environment…and Allan said that Joe Zawinul, you know, from Weather Report? (i nod) said the same thing.” After dinner, Mr Joel Fernando of JB Music took us to Martini’s for a couple drinks, watching Joniver Robles. Niña and Loureiro talked about photography between songs.

Kris and MJ from JB Music promised him a tour in Intramuros before heading for the airport; they also promised to get him a souvenir… the man in a barrel with a spring-mounted penis. He respectfully declined and said, “No, no, it’s okay… we also have that in Brazil.” Fortunately within Intramuros, there is a Mindanao-styled house and a bahay kubo: proper examples of Philippine culture and architecture. (i made some dick jokes during the workshop; and between that and the man-in-the-barrel, that was culturally redeeming LOL) Between stops, he noticed something. “I like the uniforms of the guards” he said, referring to the Intramuros guards. Smiling, he continued “You know, Brazil was also briefly under the Spanish, and these uniforms… it’s strange to know i am in a very different part of the world but i see something familiar. similarities…”

The kalesa driver, Boyet (with his horse Rambo), was our tour guide; he pointed out the DOLE office. the door was ajar, and we saw a guy taking a nap on a monobloc. Loureiro commented, “Department of Labor… that guy is sleeping! that is not good.” We all laughed. We also rode a jeepney that took us near Lagusnilad and got another one back to Intramuros. He got a real kick out of that, happy to have experienced something truly Filipino :) We were about to enter Fort Santiago, but, conscious of the time and hungry, we opted to have a late lunch. Nevertheless, he asked about the significance of the place, and i briefly told him about Jose Rizal. We had lunch at the Aristocrat near Malate Church; a waiter named Joel recognized me, and after getting our orders, asked me if perchance i knew any Malmsteen licks. He didn’t know Kiko or Angra, so i explained who the guitar legend who just ordered grilled squid from him is. we gave him an autographed Kiko Loureiro cd which i’m sure, by now, he’s enjoying immensely. And hopefully, he’s now checking out more than Malmsteen licks… :)

On the way to the airport, we finally talked about music. i mentioned that i love Pat Metheny and he said, “In Brazil in the seventies, there was a movement, a club…i forget the name… but it had Milton Nascimento, Toninho Horta, all these guys, and they influenced Pat. If you like Pat, you’ll hear better where he’s coming from.” (i wiki’d it and he’s referring to Clube Da Esquina) i mentioned how i have a photo with Metheny that, unfortunately, was out-of-focus. he then said excitedly, “Oh, but Photoshop now has this thing where you can recover the focus!”

We drop him off at NAIA 2 and he pulls out his passport. I inquired about his ticket and he said, “Oh i didn’t print it out. we’re trying to save paper, the environment, and we get our tickets on email and what do we do? we print it out. on paper.”

i suppose i was expecting this metal guitar hero to have the predictable rockstar behavior, looking for the predictable rockstar indulgences. Instead, we met an genuinely intelligent, open-minded and conscientious dude… who just happens to be a fantastic musician :)

ROCK HOUSE RELEASES CREATIVE FUSION

2010-02-19T13:24:00.001-08:00

ROCK HOUSE RELEASES CREATIVE FUSION, BEYOND PENTATONICS & POWER CHORDS
2 DVD SET FEATURES BRAZILIAN GUITAR VIRTUOSO KIKO LOURIERO of ANGRA

(West Haven, CT., January 29, 2010) – Rock House, the leader in music instruction, announced today the release of a new 2-set instructional DVD Creative Fusion, Beyond Pentatonics & Power Chord featuring Brazilian guitar virtuoso Kiko Loureiro. Kiko is the driving force behind the band Angra who has sold millions of CDs and toured the world several times over. Kiko is often voted by magazines and fans as one of the most talented guitar players worldwide. Young Guitar Magazine quotes “His guitar playing is top notch and can be compared to the masters like Vai, Satch and Petrucci. Kiko is a versatile guitar player with a deep knowledge of Rock 'n' Roll, Heavy Metal and Jazz which you can hear in his solos, riffs and melodies.”

In this new 2 DVD set, Kiko helps students open up their musical universe by showing how to apply fusion techniques to Rock playing. Kiko shows students a method for using arpeggios to craft amazing leads and melodies. He starts with major and minor arpeggios and triad voicings and builds them into progressions. Then expands on this concept with major arpeggio extensions adding the 7th and 9th and shows how to complete the mission by delivering full dominant and diminished arpeggios in single and cross string technique. Kiko explains and demonstrates how these all relate as tools for creating a unique musical style. Students learn modal arpeggios and how to apply them over full band backing tracks so they can start creating their own masterpieces!

Creative Fusion, Beyond Pentatonics & Power Chord is a 2-DVD set with more than 2 hours of lessons with Kiko and extras like behind the scenes photo, a personal interview, iPod ready video, performances and bonus lessons. This Rock House DVD is available around the world for $24.99. The DVD also comes with a FREE lesson booklet and membership to Rock House’s lesson support site at www.RockHouseMethod.com. This feature, exclusive to Rock House and its partners, offers students supplementary support for the lessons featured on the DVD. Once registered, students can interact with the community, utilize the additional learning tools and access the special features.

Rock House products are exclusive distributed by Hal Leonard Corp. To carry this and other Rock House products in your music store, please contact your Hal Leonard Representative at 1-800-524-4425.

###
Rock House has developed an accelerated yet easy-to-use system of learning that utilizes the functionality of DVD and Print, integrated with the accessibility of the Internet. Aspiring musicians who have a product produced by Rock House receive free membership to www.rockhousemethod.com for 24-7 lesson support. Students use this fully interactive lesson site along with their product to enhance learning, expand their knowledge, link with instructors, and connect with a community of people around the world who are learning to play music using The Rock House Method®.

For more information contact:
Joe Palombo John Jacobs
Rock House Hal Leonard Corp.
914-686-1903 1-800-524-4425
jp@rockhousemethod.com jjacobs@halleonard.com

LEt the

2009-10-22T06:04:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

This Tuesday October 27, I will be featured in the Dutch 'Let there be Rock'
Radio show (www.letthereberock.nl ). I will present some of my favorite songs of all time, and I've chosen some real cool tracks. It would be great if you could listen to the show via the internet stream:
http://w4.boschtion.nl/index.php?pageid=21 .

The 2-hour show starts at 9PM CET (Amsterdam time) on Tuesday October 27. In other time zones start time is:

- London 8PM

- New York 3PM

- Los Angeles Noon

- Rio de Janeiro 5PM

- Moscow 11PM

- Tokyo 5AM (Wednesday October 28)

- Sydney (7AM (Wednesday October 28)

I will present my favorite top 3 songs of my own playing in the first hour of the show, and my top 3 favorite songs of all time in the 2nd hour of the show.

FULLBLAST

2009-04-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

My new album is out! FULLBLAST

New website as well

www.kikoloureiro.com.br.

There you will find all information about the album and recordings.

To order from anywhere:

http://www.diehard.com.br/lojaweb/detalhes.asp?codprod=20758&codtipo=1

or write to info@kikoloureiro.com.br

Cheers!

NEURAL CODE

2009-04-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Here is Neural Code debut album. Featuring Cuca Teixeira, Thiago do Espírito and me Santo
www.myspace.com/neuralcode

To purchase on the internet:

www.musicalgrellmann.com.br/

www.freenote.com.br

I’ll post more news soon about my new solo Album which was released in Japan and will be released next month in South America and Europe: FULLBLAST.

KL

YOUNG GUITAR 2009

2009-04-15T05:54:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to share with you guys the new issue from Young guitar Mag.

YOUNG GUITAR MAGAZINE JAPAN MAY 2009

CHEERS!!

NAMM 2009 Pictures

2009-02-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from NAMM 2009

This month edition of Guitar Player is going to feature an issue of details

Of this event.

After I’ll post it.

You can find different ones on my myspace page...

From left to right on the third picture.

Tim King-Soil
Ritchie Kotzen
JD Servio ( BLack Label Society)
Me : )
Victor Wooten
Eddie Jackson-Queensryche
Mike Stone ex-Queensryche

Hugs

NAMM VIDEO 2009

2009-02-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

I hope you guys have the same fun I had at NAMM watching

This video.

A resume from what we lived during these 4 days of music tradeshow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV_6kHPvagg&feature=channel

Hugs

KIKO

Guitar Player’s Column

2009-02-11T16:11:00.000-08:00

Set yourself on fire!
The musical improvement has always been a constant challenge. Whe music turns out to be your professional career, the routine shows up as a big enemy of a musician’s qualities: the passion for the art. Ant not only that, the routine “hurts’ the eternal search for knowledge; the tecnical development, the daily researches among others.
The trip hous, interviews, meeting with lots of compromises not related exactly to the instrument – besides the decision which can make us get a job for the payment and not the instrument – take us away from the real essence of music and it’s learning process.
For those who are not professional players, this intellectual marasmus can also happen.
Playing repeatedly the same exercises and songs without opening your eyes to other “musical worlds” can stop our evolution.I can’t feel the same energy I had to study music during my adolescence , because life changes and our duty gets us with no mercy.Those free afternoons which we had to play disappear after you’re a grown up.
The solution for people which share the same problem I do is: Put yourself on the fire, in other words, Put yourself in trouble. Create situations which at first you’re going to not make it or you don’t have expeience. Those moments which you say to yourself:
“What am I doing here? Why didn’t I stay home?”
After all, how can you want to have some experience without facing it and getting yourself “screwed”? Playing jams, playing with new people for the first time, getting on the stage and playing something unexpected, playing and making mistakes, mistakes and playing it right, to evolve. Creating situation which you’re not comfortable to make yourself get ready for next experiences.
This whole story is to picture what happened to me in last december.
Known for playing rock and heavy metal, I was invited to play in a “choro” festival which featured some “chorões” (players which play choro) from the old times, which keep the flame of Jacob do Bandolim, Valdir Azevedo, Cartola, Pixinguinha and other composers up. The Festival “Choro sem parar” (Something like Choro with no break) in São Carlos, São Paulo on a public square.
I have always mentioned the quality of choro on the guitar – Jacob do Bandolim was a virtuoso player and his songs are pretty hard to get in the guitar format. To be invited by a genere festival was a big surprise for me. Playing Choros sometimes at home to study a little is much different than play an one hour live concert among musicians from this style. 100% Fire!

Of course I didn’t pass the invitation and I spent someday just learning and memorize the choro themes I was going to peform. It was a great encouragement for me to focus on my studies and find new styles and phrasing.
Each one of these moments along your career stands for an unique experience and “builds” our different influence helping us to create our own playing style.
I take the opportunity to encourage people to study choro. Do you wanna go through chromatism? Study Mané’s Ginga. Arpeggios? Desvairada. Do you want stamina and several combinations of picking? O Vôo da Mosca. And then it góes... besides the technical challenge, the songs are historical, beautiful and brilliant. Great Hug!

Caption:
Me, the drummer Cuca Teixeira and the bass player Thiago Espírito Santo in the Chorando sem para Festival, São Carlos (SP).

Wimbash Party

2009-02-05T04:05:00.000-08:00

Doug Wimbish promotes a party and invites musicians from different places to a jam. I was there this year. I wasn’t ready, something like: get on the stage and good luck.

The drummer is Will Calhoum also from Living Colour.

Here is the link. I show up on the stage after 8:10 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcNtba6d1CU

Kisses

WIMBASH 2009

2009-02-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

NAMM 2009

Wimbash Party at Hilton

Doug Wimbish, Will Calhoun, John Mc Carthy

I'm on stage after 8:10 min.

No rehearsals, nothing prepared... Go on stage and play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcNtba6d1CU

Cheers!

New Instructional videos

2009-01-30T18:34:00.000-08:00

While you guys are hanging out over there, wearing some shorts on the beach, here I am working on the new instructional videos.

I miss you all...

Here in California

2009-01-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

Everything stays the same.... one more NAMM music trade show.
The biggest encounter of musicians and worldwide instrument manufacturers.
It’s easy to meet Gene Simon or Steve Morse on the aisles, or maybe who knows to meet
Steve Vai leaving the bathroom...
I have lots of pictures and nice things to tell. First, I will post it on the next Guitar Player and after more details over here.
Besides NAAM I dropped by at MI (www.mi.edu) to lecture an open couseling, I did a promotional picture session with Chris Impelitteri (who doesn’t know the fastest scales of the world?) for an young guitar cover and I jammed with Living Colour....
Tomorrow I will fly to NY to record some instructional video for an american company. Teaching rock to americans is almost ironic, but it’s ok.
Of course I have been in a hurry and after I will post pictures and tell details.
I miss you all.
Kiko

Guitar Player Post

2009-01-04T19:24:00.001-08:00

I am just packing to travel to Obama’s land, so I am gonna leave here one of the posts which have been released by Guitar Player magazine. This is na old one and talks about Tarja’s tour. You can find the previous posts looking at the whole page. Happy 2009!

TOURING WITH TARJA TURUNEN

I will keep telling about being on tour with Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish), aside Mike Terrana (Drums), Doug Wimbish (Bass), Maria Ilmoniemi (keyboards) and Max Lilja (Cello). After the getting process which I mentioned last month, the time had come to prove
That everything was 100% and I would fit the group without any kind of problems.
We usually play at the home using playbacks or along with the original recording. This is pretty important, but this relaxed situation of playing seated on chair and focused is not like
Reality.When you play with other musicians, surprises may show up.

When you play along with a recording, your mistake will not stop the whole process. But when it comes to reality, a huge mistake can make all the other people involved to get lost.
A good way of practicing is playing alone, with no playback (metronome is a good choice!), picturing the other instruments. Try to memorize the rhythms and solos. If possible, play on your get with the effect pedals you are going to use the whol concert. Only by doing this, you ‘ll be really ready. Remember: When it comes about a concert, technical problems, audience distraction, other musicians mistakes and other stuff can get your attention and ruin your pefomance, in case you are not ready.

We had some rehearsals in Monterrey, México, for two days and we did out first concert there. After it was “well-rehearsalled” , the main focus is to keep the focus exclusively on the song. As usual, the first concert was better than the second one. Since in the first concert everything turned out to be fine, the big confidence disturbed on the second one. Getting focused in what you are playing is pretty importante, until when you find the point which you take part in it and it sounds natural.

After Monterrey, we travelled to Cidade do México and Guadalajara. We have already gotten along with the airport’s coffee salesmen due to the quantity of time we went there during the whole thing.

By the way, for those who study guitar to become a professional musical shall be ready to wait at airport and to travel a lot. Musician’s life is, basicly, to wait and to get transported. Since concerts take two hours, the proportion compared to the “stand by” time is pretty big. To travel to Mexico, I left home at 05:00 A.M. and I got in the hotel after midnight – including taxi, van, check-in lines, passport, flight, immigration lines, van, hotel and etc... all that mess to peform just for two hours.

Not mentioning what can happen during the trips!When we were travelling from México to colômbia, after one hour o flight, one of the air plane’s turbine stopped working. Besides getting scared, we were obligated to get back to México and say another “hello” to our friends from the airport coffee.We stayed one more day at that country to take the same flight during the dawn. Nevertheless, after some bizarre sounds and some lights on and down in a weird way, more of the half passenger quit taking that plane. We decided to face the challenge and we went to Colombia, after all, we had a booked concert.

We had also a Nice trip from Fortaleza to Belo Horizonte, in a dawn flight. We did seat close to a couple with 5 twins. That’s it: FIVE! Detail: all of them were crying during the four hours of flight! Unbelivable!

Happy 2009

2008-12-31T20:27:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish all the viewers of this blog a happy 2009!!

Wait for 2009, it seems to be a great year to come!
Two Cds already recorded without mentioning the three different instructional lessons I will record in the USA in january.
Angra is making the last decisions to get back together in April.
Therefore, there are lots of thing for the next year.
I hope everyone is full of projects and wishes, because that’s what cheer us up and make life richer.
Kisses and hugs,
KL

Ronnie Von’s show

2008-12-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

December 23th – 09:00 P.M. at Gazeta TV/ Todo seu program, I will be interviewed a side DJ Hum by Ronnie Von

I hope you enjoy! You can’t miss that!

kisses and hugs

Kiko

2008-12-15T15:43:00.002-08:00

12 hours of choro with no break!

In São Carlos (brazilian city) next sunday , December 21 th.

For me is going to be a big challenge to be among these great brazilian music instrumentists paying a tribute to the biggest choro idol, Jacon do Bandolim.

http://www.fai.ufscar.br/contribuintedacultura/

Attend to the event if you’re able to!

KL

Touring stories III

2008-12-15T15:43:00.001-08:00

This one was also released on Guitar Player...

Skating on kerosene? To maintain yourself in equilibrium while at the same time to play perfectly the notes and the audience to see the band in the stage rocking at the most.

Back in Fireworks’s time, which cover is a fire spitter, we had the Idea of hiring some juggler for the openning show.

Imagine the biggest venue in Paris – Lê Zenith, 7000 people, the famous finn group as opening band and Bruce Dickinson – singer for Iron Maiden – at our dressing room ready to be featured on our show.

In the middle of all this part, the great Idea of the fire spitter to get everyone in the mood before we get on the stage.

We forgot that together with the fire , the kerosene would also be spitten and would cover thoe whole scene.

The stage turned out to be a soap, a ring of ice skating.

As well as the volleyball games, we also had our floor cleaners, which during the first songs cleaned all our stupidity glued to our feet.

Touring stories II

2008-12-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

Belo Horizonte (City in Brazil) , pop music festival, huge stadium, pretty famous artists,

Radio anniversary , a crowded audience (over 30 thousands people).

Perfect opportunity for a heavy metal band like Angra to expose its songs and get new fans and fans from different styles Evertyhing was ok until our roadie got drunk with the cans of beer in the dressing-room. Alcohol abuse should be prohibited in stages and shows and not only on the road. The one who we are talking about, got so out of control which turned out to be expelled by the security due to his revealer breath and stump walking. The pass “All areas” was his alibi to keep him around. Everything was ready to our concert. The rest of the roadie team worked A lot and got everything prepared for us to get in the best conditions for the so well expected concert. We just had to wait Jota Quest and Pitty to finish their concerts and go for it. Everyone got despaired when the mentioned roadie, already with the prominent eyes and not having control of his own hands, start to disconnect all the cables of our equipment. In the best of his intentions to help us to finish his obligations.

Who could complain? He was out of things and went to the corner of the stage where the Titãs’ equipment was organized and polished. He pointed, aimed and threw out all the content from the cans already digested by the kidneys ... Late at night in the silence, empty stadium, amplifiers turned off, he was found on the rows of seats. He should be dreaming of a new job....

Touring stories

2008-12-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

“Relembrar é viver” (Something like to remember is living) says the proverb.

A frequently asked question is: “What’s the difference between the brazilian audience and the audience from other countries?”. A foreseeable answer would be that brazilian audience is much more excited and “warm” among a lot of other whistling adectives. When I answer that requestion I always remember of an Angra’s concerts in Manaus (Amazônia) in 99. At the gymnasium of the luxurious Hotel Tropical, by the side of Amazonas river, we were in the first time at the Mavutsinim’s land, indian’s grandfather.
Try to picture that leaving São Paulo’s stages to play in Manaus is almost the same situation of a classical violinist playing at a “trio elétrico” (Typical car in brazil usually used in Carnival). Fans are incredible.The energy exchange between the band and the audience was so intense in this concert that the stage turned out to be a springboard , at the “sauna-gymnasium”, the promoter was the one jumping further and escaping from the security. The securities were in a huge number, wearing scintillant yellow t-shirts, got together in front of the center of the stage in order to avoid the acrobatic show. Due to the end of the “game”, the audience got sad and couldn’t control themselves and spite a lot on the easy yellow targerts, calling them to the fight. The band now as just the soundtrack of the show, looked at the happening, playing strongers and feeding from this savagery. For our surprise , we also saw the low railing ,which in theory stands for avoiding the audience to get closer to the stage , flying at the bottom over impassible heads conviced that this was a real show.

Irmandade do Blues

2008-11-30T17:55:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of performing with my friends from the group “Irmandade do Blues” Edu Gomes, Silvio Alemão, Vasco and Ulisses. (Something like Blues Brootherhood)

http://www.irmandadedoblues.com.br/

Jazz and Blues festival at Rio Janeiro’s Sesc in Barra Mansa.

Some pictures for those who couldn’t attend to the event.

Hugs
Kiko

Guitar Player – First Post

2008-11-28T16:17:00.000-08:00

As I promised I am going to post all the texts which were published on Guitar Player magazine , here comes the first one published on August:

Getting ready for the south america tour

I was invited to join the band of Tarja Turunen (Ex – Nightwish) , aside musicians like Mike Terrana (drums; Yngwie Malmsteen, Rage), Doug Wimbish (bass; Living Colour, Jeff Beck, Madonna, Rolling Stones), Maria Ilmoniemi (Keyboards) and Max Lilja (cello; Apocalyptica). The tour during august and september released cities such as Mexico, Colombia, Brasil, Chile and Argentina ending up with 14 shows.

As every single tour, the hard work starts pretty much before the trip itself. I got in the band in the middle of the worldwide tour and the band had already played and rehearsaled several times. I had just one rehearsal before the first concert and it was a big responsibility. Therefore, my getting process had to be minute, precise and solitary.

First of all, comes the musical part: get to know all the songs deep down. It takes to play the whole concerts, on the set list sequence, without making mistakes – playing everything in the minimum details, after all, rock bands don’t accept scores on the stage!

One tip: In case you go through a similar situation, the great thing is , first of all just to listen to the songs. Burn a CD with the themes in the sequence of the concerts and listen to this as it was your favourtie album, inside the house, in the car , Ipod... Picture yourself playing the harmonies, the pickings and the song structures. Sing the melodic parts of the solos. Thus, when you play it on the guitar, it would be much easier, 70% of the process done.

After, without leaving the musical part behing, it’s time to check the equipments. A good professional has to have a gear in perfect conditions under the musical style. After all, during a tour, everything can happen. You will be going through a sequence of concerts and you will be in other country, away from home, from your luthier and your confidence store. It’s good to have everything check out, and by preference with spare gear. For example, any kind of guitar used, take a spare one. Take some spare tunning keys, keys, bridges and new and good cables, besides spare parts! You have to take enough strings to change each two concerts.

In the particular case of this tour, the songs took a guitar tuned in A 440 and other one a whole step down, a seven strings and a nylon strings acoustic guitar. I travelled with six guitars and an acoustic guitar, all of them had been checked up and adjusted for all these different tunning. Since the songs feature more riffs than solos, I decided to use D’addario .011 on the A 440 tuned guitar and .012 on the whole step down tunned.

It seems complicated, but this precaucations are fundamental to feel relaxed on the stage and to avoid problems during the concert.

And don’t forget about the matters of getting tickets , dates , visas , documents and etc!

2008-11-19T11:22:00.000-08:00

Finally a meaningful discussions here.

Never is too much to talk about art and to learn from each one’s point of view.
The concept developed during the history by the painters influenced music, literature, movies, design, advertisement and etc.
For those who don’t know , notice how different a painter can conceive the idea of portraits.

I posted a Caravaggio, Modigliani,Portinari, Basquiat and Anita Malfatti.

The list is huge to know...

Rock House Method

2008-11-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

Just to let you guys know the news.

Check it out on the website below:

http://www.rockhousemethod.com/home.aspx

Brazilian Guitar Virtuoso Kiko Loureiro The Latest Musican To Sign on With Rock House
Saturday, November 15, 2008
BRAZILIAN GUITAR VIRTUOSO KIKO LOURIERO JOINS ROCK HOUSE

A Range of DVD Products Displaying His Versatility and Global Musical Vision are Planned

Rock House, the leader in music instruction, announced today that Brazilian guitar virtuoso Kiko Loureiro is the latest musicians to join Rock House’s roster of master instructors. Kiko is the driving force behind the band Angra who has sold millions of CDs and toured the world several times over. Kiko is often voted by magazines and fans as one of the most talented guitar players worldwide. Young Guitar Magazine quotes “His guitar playing is top notch and can be compared to the masters like Vai, Satch and Petrucci. Kiko is a versatile guitar player with a deep knowledge of Rock 'n' Roll, Heavy Metal and Jazz which you can hear in his solos, riffs and melodies. He is also known for infusing traditional Latin rhythms into his playing. Production is slated to begin at the end of January 2009, no release dates have been set.

There will be at least two instructional DVDs where students will gain an understanding of his musical foundation and how his global musical vision can help expand their own guitar playing. Topics will include his approach to building melodies, his use of arpeggios, his unique tapping techniques, Jazz harmonies and much more. “Kiko is one of the most complete musicians we have every signed, on his 2005 solo record No Gravity he not only plays guitar he also handles percussion, keyboards, piano, bass and acoustic guitars on the album.” States Joe Palombo, Executive director of Rock House.

Kiko’s instructional products will be available at MI retailers around the world for $24.99. Stay tuned at www.RockHouseMethod.com, and www.kikoloureiro.com.br for information on release dates. All Rock House instructional products are distributed through Music Sales Corp. 1-800-431-7187; or call Gordon at 1-866-You-Rock.

Each on of Kiko’s DVDs will come with a FREE tab lesson booklet, iPod ready video and membership to Rock House’s lesson support site at www.RockHouseMethod.com. This feature, exclusive to Rock House and its partners offers students supplementary support for the lessons featured on the DVDs. Rock House has developed an accelerated yet easy-to-use system of learning that utilizes the functionality of DVD and Print, integrated with the accessibility of the Internet. Aspiring musicians who have a product produced by Rock House receive free membership to www.rockhousemethod.com for 24-7 lesson support. Students use this fully interactive site along with their product to enhance their learning experience, expand their knowledge, link with instructors, and connect with a community of people around the world who are learning to play music using The Rock House Method®.

For more information contact: Joe Palombo at jp@rockhousemethod.com

Le Tableau- Symphony Kromatic

2008-11-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

For those who know the picture from the left size of my Myspace, will find familiar this face on the painting.

http://www.myspace.com/kikoloureiro

Marie who is a french artist suprised me once again with this theme which she calls “Symphony Kromatic”

On her website you can find more paintings about No Gravity and Universo Inverso

http://entre-ciel-et-terre.info/01_galerie.html

I hope you enjoy the french synesthesia

Leave comments...

KL

Blog GUITAR PLAYER

2008-11-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

For those who don’t know, “Kiko’s Blog” has also been published on the Guitar Player magazine. I will post the texts here too!

On the pictures we can see all the band’s members. Mike Terrana-drums, Doug Wimbish-bass, Maria Ilmoniemi-keyboards,, Tarja and me.

After a month time tour, nothing stranger than being at the hermetic environment of a studio, moreover together with “boludos” argentineans.

Studio and Stage: two completelly different words. There are musicians who are focused on only one of these words, but we have to be ready to learn how to survive in these two too hard environments.

In my opinion, studio is worse than stage. It shows all your mistakes and weaks like a microscopic magnifying glass. Everything sounds, everything is heard, there’re sound from outside, no applauses, signs of satisfactions, hisses or something to guide you.

You just hear : “Next Part”/ “Next electric guitar”, which means “It’s enough to the producer to work”; or “ Do your best now”, which means your attempt was failed. This euphemism “pseudo-encouraging” helps you, because you always believe that you can do something better. But after we learn the first “take” is the most authentic ever. Rule # 1 never delete the first take, you will probably regret it.

After the Buenos Aires concert with Tarja, we went to the studio at argentina’s capital to record a new song from an upcoming single of hers.

We have played this songs throught out the tour, so everyone knew their parts and what to record. We had only 12 hours to record it, to set it up and get the best tone of our instruments, extremely short time for a cool production, but there was no choice.

In this age of magic and perfectionist computers, it’s seldom to Record live in a studio with the whole band, but due to the matter of time that what we did.

It was an unique experience to share the experience of life of Doug Wimbish who has already recorded with Jeff Beck, Madonna, Mick Jagger and etc, and Terrana who has already recorded more than 100 albums also aside clasiscal musicians and the pianist named Maria and the violoncellist Max.

An interesting fact is about looking at these two worlds, classical-popular, confronting each other. While the americans ( From a very empiric education) give more importance to the song and the mood that everyone is going to create, the classical musician focus on the perfect playing,. It was funny to see the discussion about what conducts time, the drummer or the metronome? The drummer follows the metronome, but in case he plays “in front” or “laid back” it, who will we follow?

We followed Terrana, after all it’s much more musical, of course.

When the drums, bass, keyboards and electric guitar were done, we chose a good “take”

And the drudgery starts. Guitar recorded in more than one channel!!! Modern productions and mainly rock ones require what we call “ Guitar walls”.

Incessant channels to get the ideal tone. I recorded four times with an amplifier and more four times with other amplifiers, using different electric guitars too. The interesting is always about trying to alternate from a heavier amplifier, less middles, more distortion and less attack, which are characteristics from the american amplifiers and more moderns, with a nas al tone, straight to the point and with attack which we find in the traditional amplifiers. In case you have just one amplifiers, you can find this difference changing the controls of it. Other idea is to record a sound almost clean, crunch, to get attack and definition. Alternate electric guitars with different pickups and styles is also essential. On this record I used a K 1 seven strings ( No floyd rose at all) and a Tagima Les Paul.

When we start having uncountable channels like in this case, the playing has to be repeated in the minimum details. This way is better to record each part ( 16 metters, for example) and to record it again in the sequence. When you play the entire song and after you record the other channel, it turns out to be very complicated to memorize and probably difficulty to get the effect you want.

After the electric guitars, time for the nylon acoustic guitar. An interlude barroque , a duet with a cello. I decided to record three channels by my own, two of them I recorded the same thing and at the third one I added a “higher” note. It’s a good opition to create a good sonority on the acoustic guitar, mainly for us , electric guitar players, who don’t have that skill with the right hand. Despite of the difficulty of recording more than one time sounding pretty the same , you get it all in tone.

After these uncountable hours being vexed by the “grid” of this infernal binary system, we went out to have some deserved “chorizo” and have some fun with the argetineans.

Guitar World Buyers Guide

2008-10-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

For those who think I don’t look good at Zoom’s advertisement...

How about that?

Photo session for Guitar World Buyers Guide in the USA to promote the Zoom’s signature pedal of Jonnhy 5, George Lynch and mine.

EXPO MUSIC 2008

2008-10-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

Since I have got several requests , here you have the pictures from EXPO MUSIC 2008. For this year I took part on the several booths: Tagima, Maverick, Zoom, Santo Ângelo D’addario and Bose.
Who has already been to Expomusic knows how funny are the five days full of music, to meet again your friends above it all a huge mess with a pretty loud sound!
Here you have some choosen pictures.
Concert at the party of Tagima Dream Team which happened one day before Expo Music at Casa das Caldeiras. The band was formed by Mozart Mello (electric guitar), Monica Agena ( Electric guitar), Cuca Teixeira (Drums), Kris (Bass and vocals) and myself on the guitar and vocals.
We perfomed She came through the bathroom window, Come together ( Beatles), Superstition ( Steve Wonder) Purple Haze ( Hendrix) and Kiss ( Prince)
Another picture took on the Royal-Zoom’s booth featuring Kiko and Kiko Kong on a sticking plaster.
The third one is a picture of my Brother Zeca Loureiro and me at Musical-Express booth (D’addario).

Hugs!
KL

RALLY dos SERTÕES

2008-09-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

FORD's Video about "Rally dos SERTÕES" with "Pau-de-Arara" as soundtrack.

New Instructional Videos

2008-09-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

For those who want to know more about the new instructional videos check out the links below! I hope you enjoy!

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=HsyvPtURUycTrailer

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=ccan4dfYCpQ&feature=userMusica(Vimeo)

http://www.vimeo.com/1582858Trailer(Vimeo)

http://www.vimeo.com/1481540

Several News

2008-08-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks... there are so many things going on my life which I don’t even how to start talking about then. I’ll try to reduce some cool ones... In June , Young Guitar – Japan gave the opportunity to do an interview and photo session together with George Lynch. In some previous post I wrote about him. When I was a teenager I used to study his playing a lot in order to emulate him and finally we did this interview as well as we played together at GIT Hollywood. What a pity the chat is written in japanese, because I don’t remember what we talked about in that day anymore, but it was a fun meeting. In the article there are some awesome pictures we took at a studio in january located near to a “Skid Row” in Hollywood.

The tour with Angra and Nightwish in Japan built a huge respesct between the bands. Edu invited Empu to record the guitars for the Almah’s cd and last year it was Tarja’s turn to invite to record the acoustic guitar os her debut, “My Winter Storm”.

For me it was a great experience because, different if compared to the other ones with electric guitar and improvised solos, she asked me to bring a little of Angra’s sonority with nylon acoustic guitar and classical excerpts.
The result got a great response and I was invited to play with her on the concerts. Besides of her being a great Singer, the band features awesome musicians such as my friend Mike Terrana, Doug Wimbish (Living Colour) , Max Lilja (Apocalíptica) and Maria Ilmoniemi.

Now we are in the middle of brazilian the tour. Yesterday we did SP and I have just gotten out from the Curitiba’s concert. We went to México and Columbia. After I am going to talk about the details and to post some photos. We have already been through touching moment like the City of Mexico concert or the airplane’s turbine getting some problems in the middle of the flight.... many stories for many posts...

By the way, On the next Guitar Player, I am going to do the premier of “Blog of Kiko” on the column sessions and I will mention the details of this tour as well as technique and professional tips.

Check out this interview for an american site of guitar.http://www.guitar9.com/interview127.html

You also can check out an interview for MTV Brazil website:
http://mtv.uol.com.br/noticias08/node/94756

Another good news! Ana australian radio voted Universo Inverso for the top 10 Latin fusion álbums of the year. Check it out: http://fiestajazz.com/CDReview.html

Before I forget.... my new instructional vídeos are avaliable. Who is interested on buying them send an e-mail to roberto@kikoloureiro.com.br or look for it in any music shop...

Kiitos!

Diversas notícias

2008-08-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

Aí galera.. São tantas coisas rolando ao mesmo tempo, que não sei nem por onde começar.
Vou tentar resumir algumas legais...

Em Junho a Young Guitar- Japão me deu o privilégio de fazer uma entrevista e sessão de fotos com o George Lynch.Em algum post antigo aqui do Blog escrevi sobre ele. Na minha adolescência ficava horas e horas tentando tocar próximo ao seu estilo diferenciado e finalmente fizemos esta entrevista e tocamos juntos em maio no GIT Hollywood.
Pena que está em Japonês a conversa, pois eu também não lembro mais o que falamos, mas foi um encontro muito divertido. Ilustram a revista ótimas fotos que fizemos em um estúdio no mês de janeiro em alguma “quebrada” de Hollywood. A Tour do Angra no Japão com o Nightwish estreitou um respeito mútuo dentre as bandas.O Edu convidou o Empu para gravar as guitarras no cd do Almah e ano passado foi a vez da Tarja me convidar para gravar violões em seu álbum de estréia, “My Winter Storm”Para mim foi um participação feliz porque, diferentemente de outras, com guitarra e solos improvisados, ela pediu que eu trouxesse um pouco da sonoridade do Angra com violões de nylon e passagens mais clássicas.O resultado agradou e assim fui convidado para tocar com ela nos shows. Além dela ser uma ótima cantora, a banda conta com músicos fenomenais como o amigo Mike Terrana , Doug Wimbish ( Living Colour ), Max Lilja( Apocalíptica) e Maria Ilmoniemi.
Estamos agora em meio a tour do Brasil. Ontem fizemos SP e acabei de sair do show de Curitiba. Passamos pelo México e Colômbia também. Depois vou contar em mais detalhes e colocar umas fotos.
Já passamos por momentos emocionantes como o show da Cidade do México ou a turbina do avião parando em pleno vôo... muitas histórias para vários posts...

Alías, na próxima revista Guitar Player vou estrear o "Blog do Kiko" na sessão de colunas e contarei detalhes desta tour assim como dicas técnicas e profissionais.

Quem quiser conferir uma entrevista que dei para um site americano de guitarra.

http://www.guitar9.com/interview127.html

Ainda mais....
Entrevista para o site da MTV Brasil

http://mtv.uol.com.br/noticias08/node/94756

Mais uma boa!
Uma Radio Australiana votou o Universo Inverso entre os 10 melhores discos de Latin Fusion do ano. Confiram:
http://fiestajazz.com/CDReview.html

Por último antes que eu me esqueça...
Minhas novas vídeo-aulas já estão à venda.
Quem se interessar é só mandar o um email para o
roberto@kikoloureiro.com.br ou procurar em qualquer loja de instrumentos musicais...

Kiitos!

KL

Interview with Joe Satriani

2008-08-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

To be sponsored by the best strings company brings me a lot of great moments. First of all the high quality of the product, the friends I got through the years and also for different and unusual moment like the one I am going to talk about on this post.

Musical-Express, Dealer for D’addario set up a date between the two endorsees of the brand.

The idea was about creating a chat between Satriani and me, to talk about the strings and other subjects, with no script, free to go where my curiosity could take me.

Of course this opportunity was unique for me, because I always respect and I’ll always respect who influenced me. I remember as it was today, twenty years ago, myself trying to understand how it was possible to get those tones wich Satch easily got on “Surfing with the Alien”.

At São Paulo’s aftenoon concert, we had the opportunity to talk to Joe where I could decipher some of my curiosities .I think it turned out to be pretty cool.

Satriani talked about a lot of interesting subjects.

The strange thing is that he mentioned that he doesn’t think guitar is comfortable, talked about his will of having signature strings, showed us his philosophic side about death, talked about his sources of his drawer side, besides other things in just some minutes.
Have fun...

Link:

http://www.musical-express.com.br

PS: Even having a huge respect for one of my “musical fathers”, let’s admit that the two person on the picture look like Kiko and Chaves (Mexican series, well-known in Brazil)... It’s just missing my colorful hat...

Hugs from Mexico.
KIKO

Musicians Institute- Hollywood

2008-06-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Back to Brazil...
From Hollywood to São Paulo.

Here I post some photos taken on the event of the releasing of my pedal G1K-ZOOM in the Uncle Bush’s land.

I got so happy due to the opportunity of playing with such high skilled musicians. JD Deservio (Black Label Society’s bassist), Tommy Clufetos(drummer for Alice Cooper, Robbie Zombie and Ted Nugent).

They were phenomenal, we just played the songs once on the soundcheck, Enfermo, No Gravity, Pau-de-Arara, Espacing (all of them from No Gravity) and they sounded perfect. Besides these songs we also played a part of Hot For Teacher by Van Halen and Purple Haze by Hendrix.

George Lynch also was in the party playing some hits from Dokken’s years and his solo career.

Soon we are going to have some vídeos from this event avaliable on You Tube, because everything was professionally shooted.

XOXO!!
KL

2008-05-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

I remember the day I went to matriculate me at IG&T as it had happened today. New school, Modern, in the brand new year of 1987. I had a dream... I wanted to play the guitar, the best way possible – So I decided to take the test to check my level as soon as I could.

I was just 15 years old, and I got in my hands the dream guitar and last generation pedal effect which I wasn’t aware if it was avaliable in Brazil to record my test. Managing the small studio and those uncountrable buttons no one else than Wander Taffo. Famous guitar player, soap opera’s songs idol, virtuoso, experient, gentle and polite. He smiled , wished me good luck and pressed the REC button.

In the best place of my mind, that place where we keep the best moments which we don’t want to forget anymore, that place which is not in the brain, but inside the heart, the memory of this test day.

I can say that this was the moment which speeded up my desire to play the guitar. I started looking for the perfect alternate picking which only Wander had, in his Steve morse’s country songs style which he used to compose and so many exercises which I have been practicing and teaching since this moment.

After I grew up... but during all these years, Wander Taffo’s image kept and will always keep as a Master. For those who didn’t know him, try to picture a lovable guy, funny, lewd, funny story teller and everyone’s friend. When it comes to him everything was really serious and had always been “Lararí”...

He transmitted with warm veracity which he loved all of us guitar players .He treated us as sons, willing the best for everyone. He always had his sayings, experiences and teachings to share. Wander was with no doubt a big example. He created the brotherhood sensation, fraternity,friendship and not competiveness between all of us brazilian guitar players.

Rest In Peace

2008-05-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

Lembro-me como se fosse hoje o dia em que fui me matricular no IGT.Escola nova, moderna,em pleno ano de 1987.
Eu tinha um sonho... queria aprender a tocar guitarra da melhor forma possível - fui logo fazer o teste para saber meu nível.

No auge dos meus 15 anos, recebo em mãos a guitarra dos sonhos com uma pedaleira de última geração que eu nem sequer sabia que existia no Brasil para gravar minha performance. Controlando o porta-estúdio e aqueles inúmeros botões nada menos que Wander Taffo.
Guitarrista famoso, ídolo das canções de novela, virtuose, experiente, gentil e educado. Sorriu, desejou boa sorte e apertou o Rec.

No melhor cantinho do meu imaginário, aquele em que guardamos os momentos que não queremos nunca esquecer, aquele que não fica no cérebro mas sim dentro do coração, está a lembrança deste dia do teste.

Posso dizer que foi um momento que acelerou a minha vontade de tocar. Fiquei em busca da palhetada perfeita que só o Wander tinha, nos countries à lá Steve Morse que ele compunha e tantos outros exercícios que faço e ensino até hoje.

Depois eu cresci... mas ao longo destes tantos anos, a imagem do Wander Taffo continou e continuará sempre como a de um Mestre.

Para quem não o conheceu, imagine um cara amável, engraçado, debochado, contador de histórias hilárias e amigo de todos. Com ele a cobra fumava e tudo estava sempre Lararí...

Transmitia com veracidade calorosa que amava à todos nós guitarristas. Nos tratava como filhos, querendo sempre o melhor para todos. Sempre com dizeres, experiências e ensinamentos para dividir.

O Wander indubitavelmente é um grande exemplo. Criou a sensação de confraria, irmandade, amizade e não competitividade entre todos nós guitarristas brasileiros.

Descanse em paz

Kiko trio in Europe

2008-04-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

One more time back from Europe. Fifteen days on the old word appreciating its cultural and heathen riches ... These kind of trips are always a huge learning process, I have no doubts about it.

Lesson one: A scoundrel is a scoundrel everywhere, it doesn’t matter the color or race , or if he/she has blue blood circulation from the first world or anemic with hemorrhagic breakbone fever from the third world... A scoundrel is a scoundrel and an idiot is an idiot, period.
Lesson two: I include myself in the second case mentioned above.

Immediately in the arrival , the big news which my connection flight had been cancelled due to the bad weather of the Channel Islands ( did anyone from Gol or TAM talked to Birtish airways?). Since I couldn’t cancel the guitar clinic in the London guitar institute they got me in another flight, which took me to other airport (Who cares?...). Since taxi drivers are the same in any hemisphere on earth as well as the scoundrles, the milord asked 300 reais for the ride and did that Paul Mc Cartney’s mouth smile... What can I do? At least I got there by the time.

After I went to Frankfurt to meet Felipe and so many brazilians who took part in the biggest music trade show as I told you before in the previous post.
Together with Mike Terrana and Felipe, We went to Milan by train. We were there so calm and speaking, talking in the restaurant waggon when an old mand asked where were we going to. While looking to the ticket the german prophesies that in five minutes the rain is going to tear a part and the reastaurant waggon would go to Viena and our wagoon with our equipment and suitcases would go to Milan. Detail: we were like 8 waggon away...we ran like crazy but we maed it. Detail 2: Mike forgot his jacket on the restaurant in this confusion, and this way he prooved to be able to do the whole way three times in five minutes. Nothing like a goal in life. We are always able to go beyond. This train trip still had its interesting moments. We got reviewed by the police in 3 situations... I believe our Brazilian visa and Mike’s Mohican worked as a good stimulus to the cups who want to show their job.

In the first day of Italy we went out for a rehearsal. Everything was happening in the best way until I find out that someone got in my Hotel room and stole my suitcase, with computer and other stuff... Doing the B.O. in italian in the first day of concert was prettily unforgettable.

As I told you before a Scoundrel is a Scoundrel be it in the german complex or in a hotel in Milan.

Excluding this didactic trip part off (Lesson one and 2 pretty much learned) the concerts were so cool.
Check out on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--SUtxdLMgQ&feature=related

Great picutres in Maud.Taken by a french photographer.http://dimmaud.free.fr/Concerts/18-03-08%20Kiko%20Loureiro%20Trio%20%20Milan/

Interview in Marseille. I know french is a little weird...please, do not laugh about the way of the mouth...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g15zsxSWHbY&eurl=http://www.guitareuroshop.com/catalog/blog.php

Hugs!

Hey everyone! One more post from outside Brazil...

2008-03-15T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! One more post from outside Brazil...

I came back from the USA and I didn’t even have enough time to get habituated to the nauseous polution from SP since I had to the England to do a “masterclass” at ICMP.

http://www.icmp.uk.com/masterclasses.aspx.

Now I am in other music trade show, Frankfurt Messe. I think I am becoming a merchant... I still have for this year São Paulo and Shangai!
Picture something 5 times bigger than Expomusic in São Paulo.
I am here to the releasing and promotion of Zoom G1K to the European dealers.
Actually I think it is really fun these encounters with instrument manufacturers, musicians, friends and fans. Still more there are people from all the countries you can imagine.
I can’t wait to go to Milan (after tomorrow!!!) together with Felipe Andreoli and Mike Terrana to concerts in italian lands.

Sorry , I didn’t take pictures of the fair... after all everything looks the same and I couldn’t find the toilet booth... L
I am also writting to invite everyone in Sao Paulo to give prestige to the book of Silvia Góes. Who is into music is going to find the book very different, innovator and mainly informant .For those who are a musicians, I think it is essential to know this perspective of our relation with music and sounds.

I am a fan of Silvia ! Friend, teacher and great listener! There’s no one like you...
I am going to be there to buy mine.
Hugs and Kisses!

Hey everyone... a little more about NAMM.

2008-02-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

At D’addario’s booth some people asked me to talk about something different to be use on the American website.

Besides other testimonies which I talked about the quality of the strings, tips for beginners, my history with this company and etc…

I thought it would be cool do talk about something totally Brazilian… then nothing better than a recipe!Of course it is not a recipe of “feijão-de-corda”, because I have no idea at all how to do that, but I really do how to do an authentic “caipirinha”.

Check it out

Confraternization moment NAMM 2008

2008-02-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

One more picture to share with you guys. Cofraternization moment on the booth
Of ZOOM-NAMM. You can see in the picture people from Black Label Society, Anthrax, Lamb of God and the personnel who work for ZOOM-USA. I am right in the middle of it, also doing the kind sign to the photographer.

Hugs

KIKO

Result – Christmas giveaway

2008-02-11T03:21:00.000-08:00

To view in real size click on the picture.

We would like to thank everyone who took part in our Christmas giveaway.
We received such good drawings which showed us talent and creativity.
Keep always taking part in our giveaways! You guys are the kind of people who form our community, thus you motivate us to come up with new giveaways. It doesn’t matter if it is a concert ticket, a Cd or even a electric guitar!

I would like to thank mainly Tagima which supported the whole initiative.

And the winner is:
Name: Marcel Bartholo
City: São Paulo/ SP
E mail: Marcelcbart@yahoo.com.br

* Brazil Only

NAMM SHOW 2008 - Part II

2008-02-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone

This is a video edited by the people from the booth which I played in NAAM-2008. It is a sequence of images showing you guys more of what happened during all the 4 days of event. Just to you see a little more of this big event.

I hope you guys enjoy!

Hugs and Kisses

Zoom's Advertisement in the USA

2008-02-08T06:58:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone just to show you guys the Zoom’s Advertisement which is going to be out here in the USA on several magazines such as Guitar World, Guitar Player and Revolver . Besides George Lynch, as I commented on the other post, who I have always been a fan , John 5 has also one signature pedal.He has already played for Marilyn Manson and Robbie Zombie and he has been releasing a very good Instrumental CD. Hugs!

NAMM 2008

2008-02-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, what’s up? I am writting this from the land of Uncle Bush. Last week I could visit the most famous music tradeshow named NAMM. I came here for the releasing of ZOOM’S G1K. I played in their booth and I took part on a signing session which featured several artists. There were tons of musicians there such as Black Label Society, Queensryche, Anthrax, Stuart Hamm, George Lynch, Lamb of God among others.

It is impossible to see this in the picture, because the table was too long and there were different musicians each single day. I also went to Maverick’s Booth to try and to show their new amplifiers which they have been exporting recently.

Today I did a long interview and a photo session with George Lynch for the next cover of Young Guitar. As soon as it is out I will show you guys. I have always been his fan, because I think he has an unique guitar sound and playing.
This week I am going to play and to teach at GIT. I always dreamt to study there when I was a teenager. Years gone by, now we’ll see if I convince them as a Brazilian teacher. Then if I don’t get this well done I will give this picture award as a gift…inspirer… great hug!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2007-12-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

To my Blog’s friends: I would like to leave my message (better late than never) of happy holidays! It doesn’t matter your religion, because this time of the year is always good to see your family and friends, to buy and receive gifts.
I will spend my last days of the year here in Sao Paulo on the contrary of the most. I am sure it is the best place. Peace and tranquility! Away from check-in lines, from going back to take the belt off because the machine’s whistle, from having lunch one or two cereal bars (!!) cream-cracker biscuits with light grape juice… I want to drive 90 km/h on marginal Tietê at 06:00 pm!

I remember last New Year’s Eve party, looking for some peace; I went to the paradisiacal dunes of Jericoacoara-Ceará. Close to the last midnight of the year, there was me in the middle of a crowd which was more into a Círio de Nazaré’s procession climbing the dunes…a such a loser guy played in the loudest volume in his truck like the “agroboy” from agreste(typical place in Brazil), the tune of Marcelo Priest singing the national hymn. During some hours, with no mercy, the same track echoed through the beach…and if it wasn’t enough this guy used to dub in the “Pablo-qual-é a-musica?”(brazillian show) style on the car hood wrapped in a white sheet.
I got traumatized…. : (
Remember the mistakes and the lucky hits from 2007 to make 2008 even better.
Many accomplishments; happiness and health for everyone.
Hugs and Kisses!
KIKO

Santo Angelo’s advertisement

2007-12-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

This beautiful picture was saved here in my computer and I decided to share with you guys. Do you like it?

I know it doesn’t have anything to do with the Christmas mood that we are going to be through soon, but I got a little excited to write this.

Here I am in our country’s aerial hell itself. In the waiting room, waiting the flight to Boa Vista, hoping to get the connection in Manaus… it is going to be 7 hours if it is ok… added to the detail that I am coming back today…

Hence it follows that there’s nothing more propitious. This picture symbolizes my martyrdom. I spent hours of my life in the in the airports of the world this year. After all in 9 months I did 110 concerts and workshops…
This picture was taken during the session for the new campaign of Santo Ângelo cables. During this whole afternoon the photographer Tatiana Alvez did many pictures of me and the cables. As you can see in the other image, another one much more into a “good behavior” was really used.
In the long run I insisted to do this photo:

Kiko hanged by the Sto.Ângelo cables.Just to show the cables are good…
They can stand my weight… or to symbolize that I use my cables until death…

I think it is cool, but Tatyana got a little scared. After All the cable really “hanged” me. I got a little without air, but all this was worthwhile to give the picture more veracity.

Since Sto.Ângelo is not going to use this picture anymore (I think…) It is a curiosity for your guys : )

Kisses and Hugs!

Brazillian Talents

2007-11-27T15:32:00.001-08:00

I am back! Sometimes I can get late but I always write my posts.You can make sure that I will never leave this blog.I have been on a clinic tour through Brazil since my last post.I have already been to Campo Grande,Dourados,Mesquita,Uberlândia,Porto velho...This last week I went to Petrópolis, Pirassununga,Santo Antonio da Platina and Curitiba.Always getting introduced to interesting places, really nice people and friendly fans.After all my posts talking about other countries' beatiful and curiosities, I want to confirm that the most interesting and rich in diversity is our country, with no doubt.

In all these workshop a really often question is what kind of music I am listening to in the moment.This way I wondered about sharing with you guys a little bit of great musicians who I have been getting interested about. I think this important, because sometimes I speak some names that I am familiar with, but I see the people totally out of information, even with everything on the internet to do a free search.

When I was in Petropolis together with the great guitarist Gargamel and Gustavo Monsanto (Lead singer for the French Band named Adagio) they talked to me about a guy named Marcus Tardelli.An acoustic guitar player from Petropolis who has an incredible technique.I got really happy to see what a talent. Brazil is really a country of superiors acoustic guitar players. Take this opportunity to know and to listen to Guinga too, an acoustic guitar player who influenced Marcus.

http://www.marcustardelli.com.br/ - http://www.guinga.com/

That's it! After I will write about musical talents which have gotten my attention and I am sure that will get yours!
Hugs!

Kiko Loureiro on American Guitar Player's Web Site

2007-11-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Folks.

I hope you guys enjoy.

http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/kiko-loureiro/oct-07/32101

Zoom releases - G1K Guitar Effects Pedal Signature

2007-10-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

Zoom has just released the G1K Guitar Effects Pedal Signature Kiko Loureiro.The Simulator goes with 40 factory presets especially created by the Guitarist Kiko Loureiro.In the act of purchasing you still receive: a Pick, sticker and a poster Kiko Loureiro. More information on this link.

Kiko’s Blog on the website of the Guitar Player/UOL magazine.

2007-10-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

On a partnership between Kiko Loureiro and Guitar Player. The blog of the guitarist Kiko Loureiro now is avaliable in the group of blogs on the Guitar Player website. It was added on the main menu of the website with the link to the blog of the guitarist (Look the picture below).

Issue in the Journal “O Estado de Minas”

2007-10-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Brazil has never had the tradition of exporting rock guitar heroes.From Pepeu Gomes, Edgard Scandurra, Armando Macedo to Frejat paracá, were just a little of bit seen in the national scene.
The bet for this moment to end this marasmus is Kiko Loureiro who was born in Rio de Janeiro and is the guitarrist for the heavy metal band named Angra.

He has been reaching all the world with the band’s concerts and showing to the most different audiences his parallel work, the album Univero Inverso, which mixes Jazz, rock, baião, samba and latin music.The 30 workshops which he did in the last three months in countries such as Italy, France , Thailand , Singapore , Tunisia and Malaysia are a clue of his talent.The two last ones were an invitation from the brazillian embassies.
Besides that, the guitartis was cover on the Guitar Player magazine and had three pages in the american version for this publication.

Click here to download the .PDF file of the complete issue (830 kb – Portuguese).

By : (Webmaster)

Radio Corsário - live

2007-10-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

Interview with Kiko Loureiro on October 21th at Radio Corsário live via Imprensa FM 102,5 starting at 22:00 until 24:00.

Presentation of Julio Viseu. The live show can be listened also through the interview on the website http://www.radiocorsario.com.br

The interview also is going to be transmitted on the Tv, on 27/10 at 1:00 a.m. via TV Corsário, channel 09 on NET and channels 72,99 or 186 on TVA, or you also can check out the interview on the website http://www.tvcorsario.com.br/

By: (Webmaster)

Kiko Loureiro at Expomusic 2007

2007-09-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

As usual, one more time Kiko Loureiro has his workshops sold out at expomusic which happens every year in São Paulo.You can see two pictures of Kiko playing on Warm Music booth. Hug (Webmaster).

Kiko Loureiro won the respect all over the world

2007-09-29T05:28:00.000-07:00

Cover for the october edition of brazillan Guitar Player, Kiko Loureiro has been recognized all over the world.Loureiro became famous as the guitartist for the heavy metal band named Angra and consolidated his sucess with his solo albums No Gravity and Universo Inverso, which explore the several influences of this musician, from rock to jazz, going through the brazilian music.

Kiko Loureiro’s talent was recognized by the american Guitar Player, which published on the issue of november an interview with the guitarist , showing the respect that Loureiro has been getting outside Brazil – a really great achievement, since it is very hard to get into the USA’s musical market.

The journalist , Matt Blackett, describes Universo Inverso like :’ Loureiro combines excellently intricate brazilian rhythms with rash melodic motives and great solos. Octaves in Wes Montgomery’s style exists with the lyrism in Jeff Beck’s style and pyrotechnics by Al Di Meola – everything with a dynamic tone”.

With his technical dominion of the instrument, opened minded person about music and full of talent to write songs, Loureiro is one of the biggest guitar players in Brazil.On its october edition, the brazilian Guitar Player published a great interview with Loureiro and special lesson about his style.The musician is going to be on the stand of the magazine at Expomusic for autograph session – 29th september (Saturday) on 04:00 P.M.; 30th september (Sunday), on 03:00 P.M. More information.

By: Webmaster

Kiko Loureiro special on Guitar Player magazine

2007-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Ten Commandments of Kiko Loureiro

1) Devotion e perseverance
2) Open your mind:To want to learn more; musical greed
3) To love music: to breath and to live music
4) To be methodic and to organize time to study
5) To study with the metronome in different settings
6) To study harmony.
7) To know at the least the basic of musical reading
8) To have a good vocabulary of techniques
9) Always to look for musicality
10) To play with different people and to be ready for different musical styles

Technique, feeling and speed are some ingredients which made Kiko Loureiro to be admired in Brazil and out of Brazil, and he has been in a hurry for the last months. Angra celebrated 15 years of history with the album Aurora Consurges and went on tour.At the same time, Kiko Loureiro has done workshops and has published his second solo album.In some spare time Kiko Loureiro talked to Guitar Player.In the following lines, he talks about different times of his musical formation and give some precious tips for those who wants to

improve their guitar playing.

Clinics Tour: ASIA-EUROPE

2007-09-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

I am on my last day in Sinpagore. Not in Cingapura (famous vertical favela (poor village in Brazil) created by Maluf (Brazilian politician) to get some votes from the not informed people) and yes in the asian country in other time dominated by the japanese and after protected by the englands.Try to find this country on the map...It is a little point down Malaysia.

Actually this asian "clinic" tour started in Europe.Before going to the other side of the world, I played in two big festival of guitar in Europe to introduce to the audience the songs from Universo Inverso.The first one was in Fiorano, neighbour city of Modena ( Ferrari, Masseratti, Pavarotti...). I had the privilege of being the headline in one of the days of the festival which happens inside of a Renaissancist castle.The stage was built on the central central courtyard and I was backed by two italian musicians of high quality level (bass player and drummer) where we played songs from No Gravity and Universo Inverso.I landed in the city two days ago to do two "master-class". As you guys can see on this picture this event was inside the same room of the supposed king who used to live in the castle.Decorated with paintings on all the walls...After the italian festival we (me, the musicians and the producer) went to France in a city located in the frontier with Geneva (Swirtzeland) called Saint Julien. The French festival featured with some big starts of the french guitar as Patrick Rondat and Christophe Godin and bands like Gottard. I was really happy about playing in a super structure of festival "open-air" with my solo album.This is the kind of place where I usually play together with Angra.

After French, I took the flight of 25 hours Geneva-Paris-Singapore-Kuala Lumpur. Don't you know where is it on the map?It is Far!It is in Malaysia. Don't know yet?Ok....here they don't where Brazil is on the map.

Asked me if there was beach in Brazil...can you believe? I didn't even answer, I got desolated. Other one told me that wanted to know Brazil and after taking a walk through Turkey because he enjoyed this kind of culture!... I gave him a Brazil map that I had in my bag for this guy.I think he has learned...

On my "mode zombie:on",after all those hours of flight, delay time and etc I reached Kuala Lumpur totally deformed in the biggest Asia airport.

In this tropical country blessed by Budda... I saw a mixture of chinese with malay (in portuguese I don't know: malês, malasiano, malasiense... malês sounds better I think) with india language.It is very interesting the diversity.Hotel - food (only pepper! subject for next post) - soundcheck - hotel - workshop - food (almost sleeping over the dishe) hotel - airport at 4:00 a.m. Everything too fast, but it was possible to know a little of the atmosphere of the country. the presence of the brazilian ambassador in the workshop was cool. He took Brazil flag and he distributed flyers with Brazil map and explicative photos of our tupiniquins (brazillian) wonders.I thought it was really good.At least there, who was in the audience, nobody is going to ask if there is beach or if Brazil has a hot weather (they asked me this too! Do me a favor...) from there I went to Thailand.I have already been to the country where people speak as child and the only thing that I used to remember was the pepper of the food... I had to eat pure rice , because this was the only thing which for sure wouldn't have pepper.I landed in the airport of Asia. I thought abour our poor Guarulhos (city where there is a brazilian airport). Airport - hotel - sounde checl - workshop - food (rice) - hotel - airport at 03:00 a.m. (!!!!) Mode Zombie - max on.

It worths mentioning that the work had like 500 people in the audience , in hot weather- sauna - "amazonic" that I have never felt before.I asked for a towel and they brought me that little tissue like "baby wipes" smelling talc .Besides all that there was a interpreter who didn't speak english."Complete suffocation". But of course it is always good to play and to talk about music and guitar.Still more in a so distant country, I get happy when I see people with Angra cds, getting to know my songs and respecting brazilian music.

I reached Tawain after I don't how many hours of flight... the show producer looked at me with that face who looks to a dog on the street at a cold night.Laughing he asked me If I was tired.I got there around midday and around 03:00 p.m. I would have to do the soundcheck.Beatiful, for the first time I would have at least two hours to eat and to rest in the hotel.Of course for my misfortune the check-in in the Taiwan , only starts at 03:00 p.m...So, I ate and I stayed in the room for 10 minutes. Food - Hotel (10 minutes) - Soundcheck - hotel (2h!) - redbull - cafe - workshop - bed (I skipped dinner, the eyes won the stomach ) - and to end the airport at 6:00 a.m.. Now would be the tripe to Singapore.... 8 hours of flight! Looking at the map it seems to be so close...

I remember that in this flight I had a nightmare, like those really real, which only happens in a deep sleep.I dreamed that I had slept and I forgot to go down in Singapore and when I realized I was going to europe.Desperate I asked the stewardess where was I and she asked with that little forced and false smile, and sweet irritatively calm typical voice of the profession: It is going to be 12 hours of flight, you just have to wait four hours for the connection and after you return more 12 hours...so I woke Up desperate and I looked around to see if the chinese had the same face when I fell sleep.Even with the resembling traits of some billions of chineses , I realized that I was in the same flight. I kept myself awake to avoid this situation again.

Oh, I forgot to talk about the workshop itself. The Taiwan publish is really known by Angra. Angra has already played there in 3 three sold out concerts and I also have already passed by the island in other opportunities to do some workshops.You can be tired but in the time of work and to play of course I get well disposed and awake. Music is really a medicine for any disease. The theater was sold out.Around 400 people. A translator who was already my friend and really funny and entertaining questions took this to a great mood in that night..

I reached Singapore around 04:00 p.m. It was finally day! I went to eat to rehearsal with the musicians who were going to play with me in the event.We played Escaping.After a quicl rehearsal and the dinner I could finally sleep.The Hotel was mega modern with everything digital in the room.For my misfortune (Of course!) the hi-tech automatic curtain used to open to closed during all the night, what woke me up a lot of times.

The workshop in Singapore was really good too.Inside of a "boite" (kind of pub) ,super well organized, with moving lights, big screen and etc.I stayed in Singapore for more two days and I could know more about ths interesting country.Now it comes the CVC part... (CVC is a travel agency from Brazil) I did several tourism activities.To start by the breakstar in the zoo....that is right...eating a side orangoutang .As we see in the picture: "the complete monkeys".Some of them with more ,and others with more flues , and other with eyes almost like japanese eyes.

The other picture is the symbol of the country : Merlion (mermaid+lion), or Leão-Sereia(Portuguese).The legend tells that this animal was seen walking alone through those seas.It is more well known as the vomiting-lion by the resident of this land, after all he stays there vomiting 24/7 without stopping.

One of the most strange things that I did there was the ear massage. Said the girl with the eyes like japaneses in singlish ( strange way of speaking english in Singapore), that it was to improve my ear, so I agreed on doing that. You lay down and the chinese comes and put (with no mercy...) a candle inside you ear.After lighting this candle, she starts massaging your ear. A little strange, but in few seconds is possible to get used to the candle inside your ear orifice.After the ear gets really clear. It worths remember this was the only orifice explored by the masseur with japanese traits.

After this I was ready to face the trip from Singapore to Paris and to take a train straight to Nancy to play at MAI, biggest guitar school in France. That is it...now I am a little tired to face the maratone at Expo Music, but it is always funny the confusion of the booths anyway.

Lets talk about a little bit about the hard part of the trip to Asia: the food!!

I have some experience in this subject, because it is not the first time I go to Asia.By the way , one of the first posts here has the famous photo of little sharp-pointed sticks with chicken hear.That I still haven't found what is the please of sitting in a pew and to have a beer while you are chewing the beak of a chicken...

Who thinks Asia is japanese food is totally wrong, who thinks in Asia you eat like chinese restaurants in Brazil you are also wrong. Lig-Lig, China in the box and this kind of things, that are already bad, are the paradise if compared to what we can find there.

In the first day in Malasia, I told the event producer that I have some difficult to eat asian food.In that region besides the food to have an appearance at least stranger everything is plenty of pepper. This is something that I can't understand too. The pleasure of eating something which burns the mouth and you spend more time drinking water to relieve than eating, besides that the first pepper you don't fell the taste of anything.

Of course everything the guys told that wasn't pepper there was....maybe not that strong, but for me the enough to have two liters of water and to let the rice I ate (only safe thing without pepper) floating in my stomach.

Like the rice, all asia food comes floating.It is always a bowl of hot wate with "something" inside.In Singapore it came a little bowl with a wing of black chicken. Do not think it was a feathered-black chicken.The skin was black...I am sorry but as a resident of São Paulo where we buy the chicken already frozen and aseptically clean, I have never seen something like that.It looked like a chicken from Gana or Togo I don't know...other things are not recognized where swimming with the black wing. I had the soup and I did that face that it was good.The technique always is to have all the rice and to say that this is your favourite food and in Brazil we also have this a lot. So the rest you try and made a face that loved but comment that you are not starved and unfortantelly you are going to leave the rest in the dish.Question of education.It works.

In Singapore also the show producer came up with a gelatinous liquid and hot (please, no creative thoughts). And asked me to drink without telling me what it was.A delicate situation in this side of the planet.I had. It wasn't that bad, but with even the chinese was brave enough to tell me what it was, I was expecting something like monkey brain or crocodile sperm...but not, it was sparrow spit.In portuguese sounds really much worse :"cuspe de passarinho". I can explain better. Actually the sparrows spit their own food after chewing to build a cradle to their descendants .This way, the evil chineses go there and take this health and protetic spit. It worths commenting that the "sparrow spit" costs like 100 dollars. It is something really ellegant and aristocatic to have on the breakfast.

Kisses and Hugs!

Tunísia for the first time!

2007-07-01T04:39:00.000-07:00

For those who were missing my texts on the CVC(travel agency in brazil) style,here comes another one.The last one was about Slovenia during the tour in Europe.I have more things to tell and pictures to show of this trip, but as I am not following a specific order, I will tell about my moments in Tunisia.

I received the invitation to play on the “off” events of the Cartage Jazz festival in Tunis.On a theater would be the encounter of the rock musicians in Tunísia.A workshop followed of a concert featuring the local musicians and another day a masterclass for the interested guitar players.I stayed there for 5 days in the city and I really could know about this interesting country.

The invitation showed up through the organizer of the festival and the brazillian embassy which took me there to represent proudly Brazil.Tunísia is really interesting.Mussulman arab country where the official language is French.It was also the first place in África for the roman empire.This way we can find in a mixed form all the Mussulman arab country with the european culture of protectorate french summed up with the roman ruins in Cártago.Sunny country with lovely and simple persons.I felt very comfortale there.

In some free afternoons, my tunesino friends, took me to downtown of Tunis, where we can find the popular market,mosques and the public power buildings,with ministries and assemblies.

I bought lots of things there, practicing my power of negotiation for a cheaper price.One of the things is this chichia (had better don’t write with X...even because I am not sure that this is the correct name).This is the little hat typic “grená” of the area lords.On the picture I was sitted on the door of one mosque.Even with the chichia, I did convice anyone I looked like a mussulman...so I couldn’t get in the mosque.Different of the catholic church which uses the beauty of your spaces to collect duties,Islamim takes serious the idea of going to the mosque to pray and to talk to Maomé.At least I took this picture with this beauty lady as you can see.She covered her face on the time of “smile to the cam”, even I telling her that she was “très jolie”...

I still have more pictures to show, but I will continue this on another post.

Kisses and Hugs!

Event XL Generation- D’Addario

2007-06-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

Getting out a little from my virtual traveller guide’s histories I am gonna tell a little about the event which happened on last tuesday june 19th at Mix Auditorium.

An encounter of guitarists with different backgrounds and styles to homage songs which became history via this dearappendix of wood with 6 strings (XL 0,10 by preference...).

A Nice Idea developed by the marketing of D’addario/ Musical-Express , which let the viewers from its website to vote for the most significant songs and from this we got the “set list” of the night which would be played by the endorsses of the company,Samuel Rosa,Michel Leme and the inttermitent blogger that writes for you.

It was a Nice surprise to see Michel playing rock, because who knows about him also know that he is the headbangermost jazzy who exists.His Gibson 175 is only appearance...Enviable the instrumental version of Living Colour, who didn’t go missed it.

To get to know Samuel and to play with him was also a gift. He sang, played solos and some improvisation and he showed himself as a big expert in rock/blues when he start playing some songs for the final jam.

For me the funniest moment was to see the surprise in the eyes of the audience when I started singing Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.After all this is the most representative song from the 90’s.Who can deny that this song made ridiculous all the guitar-heroes and virtuosos of feather broom hair and cowboy boots from the end of the 80’s.After Kurt, the messiah of the out of tuned Jaguar, just Vai and Satriani stayed on the stardom... not even him stayed...

Who wants to check out :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-JFWtbboYE&mode=related&search

Something needs to be clear here: I have never been a Nirvana fan and even tried to unlearn how to play the guitar with the precussor of emos, but the joke was cool!

Some pictures for those who missed the event!

hugs

Kiko Loureiro

1º Guitar Festival

2007-06-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Cover Guitarra & Souza Lima

Date: 20th July- Final at SL Music Hall

Venue: Souza Lima – Jardins unit

Don’t waste more time, submit your inscription until 6th july!

Kiko Loureiro: member of the jury as president

After the text about the south america tour, I will keep telling little by little about my past trips...

2007-06-03T04:48:00.000-07:00

After Slovenia I went by car to Triste which is placed on the northeast of Italy.I went there to play in one of the principal music schools of the country.I took this picture from my routine walks into the dawn...after all is the only time that I can get to know more about the places where I go.

On the next day I woke up early and I went as a sleepwalker zombie to take the train to Milan.There would be a Tv program, “Rock TV”, where I would publish Universo Inverso which has been recently released in Europe.

I arrived on the studio trying to speak a little of italian just kidding....speaking with the accent which I learned in Mooca and Bexiga(São Paulo’s regions).Then the director of the show comes and speak: Che belo! Parla Italiano perfeto! Poi fare il programa solo! Going straight to the point...the guy came and told me that I should announce the show which was live during one hour in open channel to the whole Italy.I would have to announce clips ,to play live the songs from the Universo,to talk about the cd and to comment the clips and if it wasn’t enough, I would have to go to a lap top to answer some sms that the public sends live.A progam like MTV, but the guys didn’t have a VJ!!Totally trap! If it were in portuguese it already would be difficult.Some minutes before entering on air I conviced the guy from my record label, Pat Scalabrino, at least to be on the lap top and to read the sms and to help me a little with my risible italian that I have never studied in my life...I have this video locked in seven keys at home with the recording of this show...

...Obviously I don’t have pictures of this “tragicomic” moment of my life...even because the last thing I could think was to take pictures, or to remember that I had a camera in my rucksack in the middle of all this “cassino”...

2007-05-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hola! (Hello) Today I will go straight to the point apologizing again about the days that I didn’t post...what’s is something really common on this blog and you guys for sure are used to it.Since the return from Russia, a lot of notes has been already played over there.

I will try to send news little by little.Getting out from Moscow,soon after the end of Angra’s european tour,I went straight to Slovenia. I spent one day and a half over there.They have a crazy language full of “j” to make the words more complicated.For example,the capital is called “Ljubljana” and my name is Kjiko Lourejro...That was the first workshop that I did in Europe in March.My luck was that there was a guitarrist at the clinic who was a professional traveller’s guide and therefore in the next morning he took me to know lots of nice places and to learn the typical culture from that region of the Europe.

Another really great detail of this european capital is the tradition with classical music.The first conservatory of Europe was Born there, therefore there is a huge incentive to study classical music in Slovenia.It is amazing when I was walking trought the margin of the river(Photo – I forgot the name and its “j”s) I could hear from each house’s windows some instruments like pianos,trumpet,flute,violin of people who were studying music....

I am looking like a traveller’s guide of CVC (company well know in Brazil), but I think it is really great to have this opportunities to get to know,although quickly, this different cultures, places and curiosities.I end for now sharing with you guys a little...Bejijos! (Kisses)

2007-04-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

I have been off for so long...I know it.After these pictures in Portugal, the tour got into a sequence that was really difficult to write here.The tour went through lots of countries,shows and also clinics.

Today I am going to Tunísia and I am taking this little time here in the airport to post some pictures of Angra’s tour.

One of the coolest moments of the trip was our visit to Moscow.I have always been fascinated by the social and political history of this country, it doesn’t matter being Russia or URSS.When we got in Moscow, we went for some dinner and after we went to bed.As we had few free moments in this city,I didn’t want to waste time and I went on foot to the famous “Red square”.In a –10º degrees (Celsius) cold weather , I could take lots of pictures in a desert place only with me and a police car which protects the mausoleum of Lenin 24/7.We were the only people walking through the square at 4:00 am in that cold weather which no Brazilian can imagine.

Russians were always telling me how dangerous it could be walking on the streets at that time.I wondered what could be more dangerous than living in São Paulo?So I decided to go on,totally relaxed...The problem was that in Russia anyone can be a taxi driver.It means, if you see someome walking on the street, you can stop and ask if this person doesn’t want to get in the car and pay for the ride.You don’t have to have a license off.So, I was walking on those cold streets, and every five minutes an old car stopped (do you remember those Ladas car?) with a guy speaking something(sorry, but it was only possible to learn “yes” or “no” in russian).I’ve got to admit that I got a bit apprehensive,but after he spoke something in Russian, I answered in Portuguese (English doesn’t work there).It worked!The guy walked away.

This coloured cathedral is very beatiful, isn't it?Well,the legend says that the Czar who was the responsible for that,thought the same.Then he decided to get the architect blind to avoid that he would build another one to another Czar or powerful/rich people in that time.

Kisses and Hugs!

2007-03-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

The visit to Portugal is always a marking moment on the tour.It’s an interesting contact with our far away relatives , with a funny way to speak portuguese and with our roots.Walking trough Lisboa,is possible to notice how many good and bad things from Brazil are there explained.

I leave some pictures from my musical moment which I lived in Lisboa downtown.

The pictures speak for themselves.

Kisses and Huges!

2007-02-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

We are already here in Europe, but I still want to show some pictures from Japan trip.

Before the final concerts in Tokyo, we went to Sapporo.There we could see a contest of ice castles and I also have found this metal god in a japanese temple.I got scared with this image.Soon I gonna write more...huges!

2007-02-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

On the last day in Tokyo we took a walk around Shibuya, or for those who remember of the japanese class from the other post, we went at “Ku” in Shibuya.I and Rafa got out to film for the IPC channel, a kind of “Globo in Japan”.On the picutre Rafa is showing the basic position of “Kantcho”.I can’t explain now what it’s exactly this japanese way of entertainment.

Some minutes before it I could apply “Kantcho” on Rafa in front of the cameras!It is something to be written trought the times!

The last picture is the view from the place where we played during the soundcheck. It is reallty beatiful place, isn’t it? Huges and kisses.

2007-02-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

Today we played a concert in Hiroshima.In the morning I went to the “bomb museum”.Sad and impressive.The guys went there yesterday,but I had a clinic to do at Hiroshima’s MI-GIT , I had to go alone today before going to the concert house.

Yesterday after the work I went to a restaurant with the illustrious company of Paul Gilbert. I learned so much listening to Racer X and Mr.big, and it was a honour to be with him and to spend the night talking about music, career, trip histories etc etc...

The restaurant was specialized in Fugu (Remember to pronounce “fu” as you were blowing something). It was a desire of Paul Gilbert, who insist on to eat Fugu. At the restaurant I found out that Fugu is our famous Baiacu. Many people is afraid to eat this,because it’s poisonous.If the restaurant is not reliable you get out straight to the hospital.I think this restaurant was only of baiacu.I was present to the biggest gastronomic orgy about the poor baiacus.I ate sashimi,fried baiacu,cooked on the bubbling water of pan which everyone puts the little wood used to eat japanese food (hachi!).Until the sack came along with baiacu fin.Sack flavour fish!The only thing missing here was a dessert of baiacu ice cream...but we asked for a candy of green tea.

Here in Japan is like this.The culinary variants are : fish, miojo , rice and green tea.

There’s no way to escape from these four things.

Attached my picture with Paul with his 1,94 centimeters of height in the restaurant otsukarechan! Kiko Rurero san saying goodbye for tomorrow to go to the seven degrees below zero of Sapporo.

2007-02-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

Ohaioo gozaimatsu!Ogenki desu ka? Kakui des!

I am just stopping by to say “hello” to you guys from Japan!

Today here in Nagoya we took a picture with the whole people on the tour.Angra, Blind Guardian and the two crews.

The “problem” with the guardians is that they have too many bald guys... On the picture is missing one and the bass player is wearing a cap.There are actually 4 bald guys... On the first days we used to get confuse to recognize who is who...It’s enough the audience who is always full of similar persons.Notice that aside Aquiles there is a guy who looks like Harry Potter in his fourties and Havengar wanting to show aside Marquinhos.The first person is Peter who has already worked with us on Rebirth European tour,the other person is Blind Guardian’s Technical crew , he has a lot of experience due to work with Saxon since the 80’s.

I don’t have to tell you guys a lot, because Angra’s site is really well-updated with photos and news from the tour.

Kisses and Huges with japanese eyes!

2007-01-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I know that I haven’t been sending news recently.I just arrived from my vacation and we have already got in into the stressful routin of São Paulo, with rehearsal and preparation to the long tour that we will have.Japan and Europe without any break.I still will stay in Europe for more ten days to do some clinics.It means Two months away from home...into the snow!!!

I leave here,to not lose the habit,some pictures from my end year trip.After many years travelling is really seldom to travel without my guitar aside me.

I flew over the “Lençois Maranhenses”.So beatiful!! I agreed to get in an airplane that looked inside seems to be a 1970 beetle.The pilot told us that it was safer than a Boing...so it’s ok... I faced it.To show how safe it is the pilot wanted to turn off the motor during the flight,saying that it would plane and really works.After our shouts ,the guys gave up this idea.

Going against any rule of “Turn off your cell phone when you are aboard”,the pilot spent a huge time driving the pilotting the pleane and talking about his life stuff,while we looked down and started picturing how would be a forced landing.At this moment we also calculated the percentage of staying alive if we fell over all this sand dunes and where we should go back on foot.

Happy 2007 to everyone!!!

2006-12-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

This picture is from the same show... In Londrina-PR.

Smoke on the Water.It’s something really responsible to play Ian Paice’s stuff. After using a little my vocal folds I went to make some blisters on my fingers. Today we did the same in Belo Horizonte. I was a little hoarse , but everything was ok.Tomorrow Jaú concert and after in Rio.For sure we are going to do this “change-change” more times.

2006-12-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

Who would say...

The most strange thing is to be on the stage without to play the guitar...

The pictures speak for themselves.

2006-11-23T11:06:00.000-08:00

I Know that this news is a little old,but I have just recevied the magazine in hands so I decided to write about this cover.The magazine is called Burrn!It is one of the most important rock magazines of the world.Angra had a cover in 96 on the “Holy Land’ times.I and André on the cover.It was a mark for the band.Now, ten years after (realize how difficult is to be on this magazine...) here I am again,with a metal icone:Dave Mustaine.I had already posted my picture with him, but I couldn’t say that it was to the cover of this magazine.The pictures were taken a day before Loud Park Festival.At 11 am I went to the hotel where Megadeth was received as a guest.They put all the photo equipment in an event room.Everyone was waiting apprehensive for Dave,because he is famous for being a little temperamental.But against what everyone was “wondering”, he arrived with “happy boy” mood.Wet hair,black clothes and no rock stuff...His image build by himself is enough.Quickly we took the shoes off (To not stain the floor of photographic background) and we started taking the pictures.He joked because on his hose was writting “red head”.He said that the reason for that was to he doesn’t forget that he was one “red head”... The japanese guys with all the delicacy asked him to dry his hair... because it was about taking a picture for a cover.I think that for him it was just one among so many.Then he came back with his familiar face...

We took lots of pictures or as bad guys and smilling.On the cover we are serious,but inside there’s a picture of us smilling.After I am gonna scan to put on the website.

We talked about Dogs and I explained him about the mixing of Brazillian Filas.He is a big fan of dogs, as I am.I had brought a berimbaru to give to the magazine picks out by lot and he already started talking about capoeira, slave’s fight,and about our famous jiu-jitsu carioca (From Rio de Janeiro).That’s the reason for I say that the guy is the contrary of the people say about him.
That’s it...just to share a moment that for me was really special.

Don’t forget on 18th December I am gonna play at Souza Lima for free with the Universo Inverso guys.

2006-11-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

The day before Via Funchal Concert, I found a little time to not leave this Blog too abandoned.
Yesterday I went bed late to watch Jô Soares...

To me is really cool to be there.I have a huge respect for all the production of the show, and now I can realize that they really like my work.During a Year, I was there two times.To introduce No Gravity and now Universo Inverso.We know how many artists and bands would like to be there...Worth the work of Alê Fernandes who also does my adviser.

Wait because I must participate of more shows soon.

You guys can imagine that with all Angra’s stuff I got some time to rehearse with Yaniel, Carlinhos and Alex.Alex knew the songs just one day before the concert.We rehearsed for 40 minutes and only this.For me it’s very good to play a side this level musicians.

At the end I get happy when I can make these things come true, because I always go trough a lot of stress untill them happen.

The pictures I have sent to the website too.This is one is not an unpublished picture as the ones of the previous posts.Taking a look at the picture we can notice that this is the moment when we have a rest to play the bridge of the song “Feijão de Corda.

I think I was a really serious on this post... but it’s ok... kisses and huges

2006-11-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

I took so long, but here I am again!We have just finished a tour through the brazillian northeast. Five concerts in five days. We got a little tired, but the public on the concert worths any sleepless night...Three pictures for you...

The first one has the 6 friends before getting in the “van” which would go to Recife concert.These happy,calm and unit moments are really cool.The others two pictures happened when I “invaded” the stage to take some pictures of Rafa and Edu playing Rebith along with the audience on the venue.A really special moment taken from the show.One picture was taken from Recife concert and the other from Fortaleza concert.I know this picture is not that good,but this is only the point of view which belongs to the band.I think it’s cool to share with you guys.A great Hug!