São Paulo – Musician and singer-songwriter Tato Mahfuz will perform this Saturday (13) at São Paulo’s Sesc Santana at 6:00 pm BRT. Admission is free. The Brazilian of Lebanese descent will play acoustic guitar with his quartet featuring Márcio Roldan on keyboards, Marinho Andreotti on bass, and Pércio Sápia on drums. They are instrumental original songs from his latest album, Desde Sempre, and works from others from his three previous albums.
According to him, the show will last around 1h15 and feature 12 to 14 songs with jazz elements and a Brazilian accent. “Milton Nascimento and Tom Jobim are icons in my reference as a composer, and my music reflects that. It’s the music of a Brazilian citizen. It has elements of samba, choro, and jazz – melodic music, and you don’t need to be a jazz connoisseur to like it. I make music for people,” Mahfuz told ANBA. On the Desde Sempre album, Mahfuz sings on two tracks but will not sing at the Sesc performance, which will be instrumental only.
Mahfuz’s musical career began early, playing the drums at the age of eight and then the guitar from the age of 14. “Then I started studying. I went to the conservatory and studied jazz. My first original work was in 1990. Then I had a band with friends. I played at the [Monte Virgínia] club, but then I realized I had a knack for songwriting,” he said.
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In 1992, the musician received the Sharp Award for Breakthrough Instrumental Album for his 1990 record in Rio de Janeiro. “It was a boost. It really motivated me to continue my songwriting work, always recording independently, especially because instrumental music doesn’t have as much commercial appeal,” he said.
Throughout his life, Mahfuz worked as a lawyer while studying music. Three years ago, he retired and now dedicates himself 100% to music. In 2022, he released his fourth album, Desde Sempre [loosely translated as Since Always]. “I have since always been very connected to music, and now I am preparing a new work for the third quarter,” he said. The albums are available on audio platforms [and Desde Sempre at the end of the story].
Lebanese family
Carlos Eduardo Mahfuz was born in São Paulo and is 65 years old. His grandparents were Lebanese, both on his mother’s and father’s sides. “They were born in Lebanon and came in the first diaspora – my grandmother on my mother’s side was the only one born in Jaú – her Lebanese father had already moved here. The others came to São Paulo and worked as peddlers and shopkeepers,” he said.
Tato is the childhood nickname of the musician and lawyer, who said he has been to Lebanon twice with his wife and daughters and also visited Syria. His great uncle, the last family member who lived in Beirut, passed away five years ago. “The Arabs adapt very easily. It is characteristic of our people. The conditions in which they came were not wanting to look back, to work and think about the future,” Mahfuz said.
Read also: Syrian musician produces lutes in São Paulo
The musician intends to add Arabic sounds to his subsequent works. Mahfuz said he likes the sound and percussion of Arabic songs and wants to buy a lute, or oud, as he calls it. “Instruments drive me, so on the acoustic guitar, I write Brazilian music; on the electric guitar, it’s more rock, and on the oud, I’m sure I’ll express myself in another way,” he said.
Listen to the album Desde Sempre below:
Quick facts:
Tato Mahfuz plays Desde Sempre
January 13, Saturday, 6:00 pm BRT
Sesc Santana
Av. Luiz Dumont Villares, 579
Santana, São Paulo
(11) 2971.8700
Free admission
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
