01-Hello André, how are you? Thanks a lot for this second interview, because now we are going to go deeper in some questions!First of all tell our viewers the situation of your career in order to get them up to date.
Hello! 2008 was a great year, I released my second CD, "Argila" through Black Records,I did several concerts and workshops, besides a lot of recording... for 2009, I was invitedto record a new DVD-lesson, expected to the middle of the year, I want to finish some
songs from my third album and give my school an update, GIG... I'm still the coordinatorof Toque de mestre collection, and there are some news in the "embryonnic" phase, but
they will soon happen!.
02- How is to make a living by music in Brazil?
It's hard, but it's reality. Musicians in brazil as well as any country all over the world have to be versatile, have to know deeply the theoretical part, I think it's fundamental,more and more, to read well scores since guitar players in Brazil have this bad fame of
sucking at reading.. Nowadays making a living by music is reality for those who know how to manage their career, you have to know how to deal with gear, to write well, there're
lots of tribulation, as a great friend and work colleague , Mozart Mello, says: "Being a good player is just the beggining! You have at least a minimum of english, write scores and etc... the
most complete the human being is, better musician he is going to be, and thus his/her career...
03- In you opinion, What brazilian musician's formation should be like
I still think it is extremely deficient, even more when it comes about the not classical musicians.
It's amazing how the colleges and universities are so distant from a minimum reasonable standard... I have several students which are cursing guitar or musical education and I notice easily how bad and dephased the guitar learning process is in places like that. I think it was worse, much worse, and it
has improved a little through out the years...
I think a musician formation has to be complete, with a clear vision of the career also, you have to know how to manage you career, it is not enough to play 12 hours of guitar/day,you have to know how to work your career in a creative and prosperity way. It's like the famousphrase by Steve Jobs: "Real artists ship..."
04- How do you face brazilian instrumental music scene?
I don't think it has changed a lot in the last 10 years... there are always be some places to perfom instrumental music, but where people have the idea of "Music for musicians"...I still
notice a lot of prejudice with the brazilian musicians inside the instrumental scene, there's a lot of talking and a little different and exciting productio....we have a long path to make it through...
05- What's the response you have gotten from your new album?
"Argila" has gotten a great and diverse responde bu the fans...the most of the people who listened to the album got blown away with the thematic side and lyrical, besides there are a lot of listeners who are not musician and really enjoy the effot... "Infinito" had already
created some opportunities for my career, but with the releasing of "Argila' in 2009 the audience got bigger, mainly beside the ordinay places like magazine and teodoro(famous street in brazil where there are a lot
of music stores).
06- You have already written several reviews and columns for guitar magazines, how do you see this journalistic side of yours? What it helped on your formation?
I used to write and to be a professional editor in big advertisement agencies before takingmusic for a living... for me writing is extremely natural, but I don't have a journalistic formation, Ihave a literary one instead... Of course it helps my formation as a human being and it reflectson my music, which I am trying to always get a little more universal...
07- How do you face music graduation (college) here in Brazil?
When it comes about the theoretical part, it is ok, but when it comes about the practical part,it is so far away from at the least the minimum... and if we talk about pos-graduation then...It's
something innocuous and redundant, to say the least...
08- Talking about your sponsors, is there something new?
Please let our viewers know about it.
I start 2009 endorsing the following companies: Seize Tagima custom guitars, SG strings,Meteoro amplififers,a support from Di giorgio nylon acoustic guitar, Lost Dog picks, Sérgio Rosar pickups and Tommy Guitars.
09-If you could choose the dream team to play with you. who would you pick to play with?
Oh, I would pick several and different bands!!! but I would still go back and record with Ricardo Siri,featured on "Argila", I would enjoy so bad to record with Abraham Laboriel, an incredible bass player, Bela Fleck, RuseelFerrante on the piano and my big brother João Castilho on the electric and acoustic guitar...but there are so many
musicians I would like to play and record with! Ricardo Silveira, Torcuato Mariano, Bill Friseel, Igor de Bruin, Tori
Amos,Sylvain Luc...
10- Guitar Clinic! André thank you so much once more! Please leave a message for our viewers.
Music is for a lifetime!!! Look for and listen to stuff besides electric guitar!!! Congratulations for the website
and a big hug for everyone!!! A happy 2009 for all of us!!! Keep in touch through my website: www.andremartins.com.br