Julinho Barbosa

Julio Barbosa, one of Brazil's leading trumpet players, was born in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, and started playing the trumpet at the age of 13. Having studied composition, harmony and counterpoint, the experienced trumpet player is also an ingenious composer and arranger.

Early in his career, he was commissioned by the Odeon and Phillips record companies in Rio de Janeiro, where he made recordings with Erlon Chaves, Moacir Santos, Gilberto Gil, Sérgio Mendes, Raul de Souza, Eumir Deodato, and many others.

He worked with the popular big bands of maestros Cipó and Peruzzi, and with Severino Araújo's Orquestra Tabajara, also writing special arrangements for the band's television shows. It was through the Orquestra Tabajara's concerts and shows broadcast by TV Rio that he gained national acclaim as a soloist and became known as "Julinho do Trompete".

He recorded the first records under his own name with Dom Salvador (piano), Robertinho Silva (drums), Luiz Carlos (bass), Neco (guitar), and Oberdan Magalhães (sax): "O Som de Julinho" and "100% Bossa".

His all-star ensemble "7 de Ouros" with Cipó, Edmundo Maciel, Lauro Miranda, Vidal and Paulinho, featuring Flora Purim and Wilson Simonal as vocalists, was a great success.

When he was asked to join the renowned show group "A Brasiliana", he embarked on a tour that took him around the world. He then became musical director of the popular show group "Brasil Tropical", composing and arranging the music for its exuberant Brazilian dance show. In Germany, the well-known band leader Max Greger invited him to join his orchestra, one of Europe's best big bands. With Greger, he did many concerts, television shows, and participated in the recording of numerous records. He also worked with other international ensembles and eventually decided to form his own band with which he toured all of Europe.

Julio Barbosa today represents new Brazilian music. He works with various groups of his own. In addition to his wide range of personal compositions, his repertoire includes jazzy variations on the most varied types and rhythms of Brazilian music in new and innovative interpretations and arrangements.

In 1999, he recorded the CD "Embalo – a new concept of Brazilian music" with his band, the sextet Embalo, playing his compositions. The CD features the internationally renowned Brazilian musicians Ivan Conti "Mamão" (drums), Hermeto Pascoal (keyboards), Dom Chacal (percussion), and Paulo Russo (bass).

As special guest invited by maestro José Rua, Julio Barbosa presented his work with the UFRJazz Ensemble in Rio de Janeiro in 2002. The CD "UFRJazz Ensemble interpreta Julio Barbosa" was recorded on this occasion.

In 2005 and 2006, the Julio Barbosa Septet, with Fernando Merlino (keyboards), Daniel Garcia (sax and flute), Bruno Migliari (bass), Pascoal Meireles (drums), Altair Martins (trumpet) and Jonson Nogueira (trombone), gave various concerts in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Julio Barbosa's compositions have also been performed and recorded on CD by the Mannheim University of Music's Ensemble Brasil, conducted by Professor Jürgen Seefelder.

Julio Barbosa likes to share his work and experience with the younger generation. "Music has undergone radical changes throughout the world to adapt to the taste of young people – and it's for them that we play music."