Sam First Solo Sessions | Chico Pinheiro 06.13.20

Sam First opened in October 2017, committed to showcasing the best in jazz on the Westside of Los Angeles. Two and a half years later, with your vital support, Sam First’s diverse jazz programming is five nights a week, and Sam First is established as a west coast home of this uniquely creative, joyous and progressive music. 

Now, while the coronavirus requires that we live apart, Sam First is moving online to bring us back together again, with weekly performances live from musicians' homes.​ These performances are completely free and will be broadcast on our homepage.

Saturday, June 13 at 11am (PDT), we will be joined by Brazilian guitar virtuoso Chico Pinheiro.

Born and raised in São Paulo,  Brazil, Chico Pinheiro started playing the guitar when he was 6.  At 14 he started working as studio session guitarist and soon began to be called to collaborate with a wide range of artists in his hometown, then in Brazil, then abroad. In 2002 Chico puts together a band of his own and starts recording as leader.  His  first album, 'Meia Noite Meio Dia' (Sony Music/ 2003) was released in 2003 with great reviews at all the most important newspapers and music magazines in Brazil and abroad, and was included in the 'Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year' in the major newspapers of Brazil: 'O Estado de São Paulo' , 'A Folha de São Paulo' and 'O Globo' . This well-received debut included performances from special guest vocalists Lenine , Ed Motta , Chico César , and Maria Rita .
​
His second release, 'Chico Pinheiro' (Biscoito Fino/ 2005) enjoyed great critical and audience acclaim, once more being included in the 'Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year' by newspapers 'O Estado', 'O Globo' and 'Folha de São Paulo'.
 
The third album, NOVA , was released in dec/ 2007 in collaboration with the american guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson . It was, again, celebrated by critic and audience.

His fourth album, There's a Storm Inside (CT Music Japan/ Sunnyside Records, NY, 2010) was released in 35 countries. It includes guests such as Dianne Reeves and Bob Mintzer, and was featured on theDownbeat, Revista Veja, O Estado de São Paulo, Folha de São Paulo, Jornal O GLOBO and Revista Rolling Stone among the 'best albuns of the year'. This record also won prizes as Best Brazilian Jazz Álbum of the year and Best Latin Jazz Composition of 2010 with 'Mamulengo', in the Latin Jazz Corner Association, USA. Chico also won as Best Latin Jazz Guitarist, in the same association.
 
In 2012 he released the CD 'TRIZ', in partnership with the pianist and composer André Mehmari and singer and composer Sergio Santos. The album received highly favorable reviews and was also listed among the best albums of the year.

Meanwhile. Chico was included as one of the RISING STAR / Guitar by The DOWNBEAT Magazine - Annual Critics Poll list, along with Julian Lage, Peter Bernstein and Adam Rogers. 
In 2017 Chico releases "Varanda", a special collaboration project that again was included as 'best of the year' in all major papers and magazines in Brazil and abroad. His composition "Varanda" is performed by Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band on the Project  "Focus on Brazil", along with Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Villa Lobos.

It is our hope that these “sessions” will bring musical joy to you at your homes, and that they will play a small part in helping the jazz community to continue and to persevere in this disorienting time.

Please consider contributing what you can to support the musician you are watching here, as well as the musicians who were scheduled to perform live at Sam First during these days of the coronavirus. Your contribution will also be shared with the staff who sets the background for these remarkable performances. Donations can be made easily through the "Tip Jar" button at samfirstbar.com. (When you click the PayPal link on the following page, you will also have the option to pay with credit or debit card).

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL in order to stay up-to-date with all our live streams and rare concert footage we will be uploading over the coming weeks. All you have to do if hit the red SUBSCRIBE button in the bottom right corner of the the live stream window.

Special thanks to DPA Microphones for the gear and the support. More information about these amazing microphones can be found by visiting: http://www.DPAmicrophones.com