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About Conjunto de Guitarras Sete Colinas     

After many years of individually honing their musical skills, Conjunto de Guitarras Sete Colinas first made music together in early 2003.  After just a handful of rehearsals, Helder Carvalheira,  Manuel Escobar, and João Cardadeiro played their first Noite de Fados with fadistas Max Gracio and Sandra Pacheco on March 14, 2003.  Many more Noites de Fado followed where they refined their collective musicianship and stage performance.  They continue to this day, performing regularly with fadistas from Portugal and North America.

In parallel with their live performances, Helder, Manuel, and João appeared as the primary Conjunto de Guitarras on CDs by Jesualda Azevedo, Isalino dos Santos, Max Gracio, and Zé Duarte.

Upon completing these projects, they embarked on the recording of "Noites nas Sete Colinas", a collection of Guitarradas de Fado based upon classic Fados and Guitarradas by the Portuguese masters of this fine art form.  Beyond simply re-recording classic fados, João Cardadeiro led the group through his all-new arrangements and compilations that grace the CD.  The relaxed environment provided by Helder Carvalheira's recording studio, Meia Noite Studios, allowed for the finest soulful performances to be captured for this project.

2009 found Sete Colinas back at Meia Noite Studios completing their second CD, "Ao Luar".  While still retaining the classic Guitarrada sound from their first CD, "Ao Luar" expands upon that with fresh arrangements that highlight Manuel's viola and João's bass, showcasing the depth of musical knowledge gained from many years of performing together.  The group also includes new instrumentation on several tracks, introducing piano, flute, accordion, and percussion to their repertoire.  Finally, the group pays homage to the music of the Azores and Madeira islands with exciting new arrangements highlighting the traditional music of those regions.

However, it is more than simply the Fado that keep the three musicians together.  They have developed a true camaraderie and deep friendship that is conveyed with every performance and recording.  After all, music is the expression of one's soul, and Fado is the most profound expression for a Portuguese musician.  When the feelings in the Fado environment are deep and true, they are easy to convey to listeners, regardless of  language or nationality.

 

 

Helder Carvalheira    

Helder Carvalheira has been playing music since age 4, when he taught himself to play the accordion to entertain family friends.  At age 9 he started playing the trombone, and by age 11 he played jazz trombone in big band competitions, garnering several competitive soloist awards by age 14. 

He then built his own drum kit from coffee cans and boxes and learned drums--first jazz, then rock and pop. After playing for only one year, he started playing in jazz bands, then rock and Portuguese dance bands.  By age 15 he also learned the electric bass, again starting in competition jazz bands before moving to other styles.

By age 16, Helder played weekly in working bands. Helder soon recorded his first tracks as a studio drummer and trombonist, and by age 18 had appeared on 4 albums and several commercial jingles.

Helder got the bug to learn more instruments and learned the electric guitar and the piano. By his early 20's, Helder played in several bands simultaneously, all with different instruments, in addition to session work.

After several years of recording, Helder embarked on a career as a producer. In 1985 he produced the "Porque Sorrimos" and "Vida Portuguesa" records with Luis Sousa. With songs co-written by Helder, Alcino Carvalheira, and Luis Sousa; production, arrangements, and all instruments performed by Helder; complex vocal harmonies also arranged by Helder; and music videos directed by Aires Medeiros Jr., these recordings were hits in the North American Portuguese music market, and set standards for production polish on Portuguese pop music.

Helder continued working onstage, eventually joining "Nova Era" as keyboardist and guitarist. It was here that Helder first worked with João Cardadeiro. Ultimately, Helder formed, "Meia Noite", which became the most successful Portuguese band in its market. He also played bass in "Amigos da Horta" with Jose Elmiro Nunes, headlining the 1988 "Semana do Mar" festival in Horta, Faial, Acores..

In 1992, Helder joined Montage Recording Studios as a staff producer and engineer, working on rock, R&B, metal, country, and Portuguese albums. After working nonstop for 15 years, Helder took a 2-year sabbatical from music to refocus. He then returned to familiar territory, jazz, producing and releasing "Past Midnight", a collection of new age and swing jazz compositions. 

In 1996, Helder had his first taste of Fado at the Parreirinha de Alfama Fado House in Lisbon. He was immediately hooked, but the Guitarra Portuguesa appeared to be the most difficult instrument he had tackled to date. Two years later he obtained his first Guitarra Portuguesa, but it wasn't until 2000 that Helder seriously focused on learning Fado. By early 2001 he hit the stage with his new instrument, playing shows with various musicians and fadistas, eventually teaming with Manuel Escobar on viola and João Cardadeiro on viola baixo, and here we are today . . .

In playing Fado with the Guitarra Portuguesa, he has finally found the instrument that exposes the deepest reaches of his soul through music.

 

  

 

 

 

João Cardadeiro    

João Cardadeiro is a native of Portugal, and emigrated with his mother and sister to the United States in 1956, carrying with him—along with the requisite possessions—a deep love for all things Portuguese, especially music.  During his years in the United States Navy, where he was a Radioman on the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA31).  It was during the ship’s stays at the Long Beach, California, dry docks that he joined his first band, a rock trio named “The Outcasts”, as electric guitarist.

Upon completing his military tour of duty in 1967, João was invited to join Orquestra Lisboa under the direction of Americo Carlos.  Several months later, he joined the groundbreaking group “Conjunto Iberico”, fronted by the well known and respected Fadista and vocalist Henrique Cordeiro.

For the next 30 years, João was a member of—or a collaborator with—many other Portuguese musical groups, including “Os Cariocas”, “Os Latinos”, “Latin Exchange”, “Estrelas de Portugal”, “Nova Era”, “Azes do Ritmo” and “Os Cinco de Portugal”.  These were, arguably, the finest Portuguese groups in their market at their time.

In the realm of Fado, João played with the late magnificent Portuguese Guitarrista Aniceto Batista, as well as other excellent fado musicians such as Jose Elmiro Nunes, Jorge Rocha, Leonel Medeiros, Viriato Ferreira, Alcindo Bettencourt, Manuel Mendes, António Lima, and Manuel Escobar.

Throughout his years as an electric and acoustic guitarist and bassist, João has set a standard of fine musicianship for his fellow musicians. However, in addition to his musical performance skills, João has also excelled as an arranger.  His love and deep respect for the purity of Portuguese traditional music has driven him to develop arrangements that are true to the intentions of the original authors.

João’s love of music is not limited to musical performance.  Over a period of 30 years in California (mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley), João was a producer, director, and on-air personality for many Portuguese radio programs, a line of work that traces back to his days in the Navy.  Some of the radio programs he directed included “Aqui e Portugal”, “Voz de Portugal” and “Radio Clube Portugues”.  His incomparable radio presence and command of both the English and Portuguese languages provided him with instant recognition and reverence by his audiences.

Most recently, João has branched out into the Portuguese Folklore arena in parallel with Fado.  He was the musical director for the Rancho Folclorico “A Portuguesa”, and is currently the musical director and bandleader of the Grupo Folclorico “Alma Ribatejana”, a traditional folklore group consisting of 10 musicians and 18 folklore dancers.

João is very content with his life because--in addition to his love for his wife and children—he has become, now more than ever, a fully realized person through the Fado and Folklore

Manuel Escobar    

Manuel Escobar got his first taste of music at the tender age of 8 in his native hometown of Salão, Faial, Açores, when he taught himself to play the violin.  Advancing his musical skills very rapidly, by age 9 he started playing for ranchos, and was quickly known as the youngest violinist of all the ranchos on the island of Faial.

He continued playing and perfecting his violin skills in the ranchos throughout his teens.  At age 20, during his compulsory military service, Manuel obtained a Spanish Guitar (viola) and taught himself to play it, at first for his own enjoyment. Progressing quickly, after 2 months he played for the enjoyment of his fellow troops as he entertained them for their off-hour gatherings. 

After leaving the service, he made the permanent switch to the Spanish Guitar and rejoined the ranchos as a guitarist.  Taking his involvement several steps further, he also joined ranchos de natal, then elevated himself even further as he joined the Grupo Folclorico do Salão, a Capela do Salão, and Teatros do Salão.  By now, Manuel was well known in the area for his Folklore and traditional music contributions and his name was synonymous with the finest groups of the genre in Faial.

Upon moving to North America at age 30, Manuel (after spending the necessary time required to resettle his and his family’s lives, of course) re-entered the musical scene by joining various Danças de Carnaval and Teatros, which continued for many years.  His unique personal combination of warmth, an easygoing personality, and a dedication to learn and work hard for his music earned him a stellar reputation among the traditional music community.

Then came Fado in 1991.  Just a little at first, listening to records and such.  Then a little more, when he started playing along with the records.  Then a bit more, when he stared attending the shows.  He played Fado occasionally with friends throughout the ‘90s, but it wasn’t until 2000--when he teamed with Portuguese Guitarrista Alcindo Bettencourt--that he decided to focus his musical energies entirely on Fado.  His early shows included his old friends and Fadistas Jesualda Azevedo, Isalino dos Santos, and Leonesa Silva.  After a mere 6 months of performances, Manuel invited João Cardadeiro to help out on bass for a couple of shows, and he never left!  This trio (augmented occasionally by Guitarrista Leonel Medeiros) performed shows for Joana Amendoeira, Aurelio de Oliveira, and others.  They also performed regularly for Noites de Fado at La Salette Restaurant.

In 2002, Manuel triumphantly returned to his native Faial, Açores when he played a Noite de Fados at the Semana do Mar festival in the city of Horta, backing up Joana Amendoeira and performing with Fado musicians Pedro Amendoeira on Spanish Guitar, Carlos Proença on Spanish Guitar, and Paulo Paz on bass. 

In early 2003, Manuel and João Cardadeiro invited Helder Carvalheira to join them at a rehearsal, and here we are today . . .

Of all the Portuguese musical styles that he has mastered, Fado remains Manuel’s greatest passion.

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