Fabiano do Nascimento

A devotee of Baden Powell and the Brazilian classical guitar tradition, Fabiano do Nascimento has fearlessly trodden paths others did spectacularly before him. But he proves his bravery isn’t folly because in a style where technical mastery matters, he absolutely shreds on guitar. The Rio de Janeiro native has been living and recording in Los Angeles for at least a decade, but the sounds of Brazil remain the heart of his music. I’ve reviewed most of Nascimento’s albums in scattered posts here, but with a new 2023 release, it seemed time to bring everything together into one post. Much of his music can be heard and bought here.

Sumiko Fukatsu & Fabiano do Nascimento, Leaf and Root (2011) – As I haven’t found this to stream or download, I have no idea what this collaboration with the Japanese flautist sounds like, but some physicals seem to be floating around at not-outrageous prices.

Fabiano do Nascimento, Dança dos Tempos (2015) – He’s in it for the art for art’s sake, and, since he absolutely shreds on guitar, he does more than just get away with it. With drummer Ricardo “Tiki” Pasillas accompanying and conversing with him, joined occasionally by a singer or another player (often Sam Gendel and his reeds), the duo dance and push their instruments into a light yet frenetic display of virtuosity without losing sight of the songs. The playing is never empty showing off, but a dazzling rush through classical Brazilian guitar music. Nascimento’s nimble lines zip around riffs while Pasillas pitters, patters and drives beneath. They cover Hermeto Pascoal, Powell and de Moraes, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and other giants of Brazil’s classical and avant traditions while recasting folk songs in their technically demanding approach. A breathtaking dance through a tradition. Grade: A-

Fabiano do Nascimento, Tempo dos Mestres (2017) – I was so wrong about this one. Perhaps I was disappointed it wasn’t as good as Dança do Tempos. Perhaps the godawful lead track cast a shadow over the whole project. It still tends more muzak for prog-lovers than I’d like, but it’s also pretty good, not least because Nascimento still shreds and Pasillas and Gendel provide stellar support. So, put “Baião” or “Oye Nana” or “Já Que Tú” up against anything on the predecessor, and there’s no slack off. Grade: B

Fabiano do Nascimento, Prelúdio (2020) – Bouncing back from the relative disappointment of the previous album, Nascimento gets closer to what made Dança do Tempos such a compelling listen. Gone are the fusion touches and the self-conscious efforts to make beautiful music, and instead he just makes…beautiful music. His guitar and Pasillas’s percussive accompaniment dazzle as usual, but, also as usual, the chops serve a musical purpose other than just showing off. Tasty without being merely tasteful. If there’s a problem here it’s that he returns to his past triumphs rather than deepening or extending them. Still, a career of albums this good would be quite an achievement, even if a career of albums as good as Dança dos Tempos would be preferable. But these days you take the good and the beautiful wherever you can get it. In this kind of context that’s fricking protest music. Grade: B+

Fabiano do Nascimento, KCRW MBE Session (2020) – Three live in the studio numbers. First is mush, last is mushy and the middle is showy. But he does have the goods on that middle one. Grade: C+

Fabiano do Nascimento, Partido Alto (2020) – Three old ones. One new one. The new one, the title track, ranks with is best work. Bossa-tinged samba, all cool and laid back with the instrumentalists showing off terrifically. “Xangô” reworks a vocal track into an instrumental and tops it in the process. The other two fill out the EP excellently. Short, but very effective. Grade: B

Fabiano do Nascimento, Ykytu (2021) – If I underrated Tempo dos Mestres, I overrated this one. As dynamic as new age music, Nascimento mistakes calm for static and beauty for sterility. Accomplished? Of course. But he’s always known what to do with his high and clean. Except for “Pelas Ruas”, here he sounds like all the mean things down and dirty types say about Brazilian music. Grade: C

Fabiano do Nascimento and the Itiberê Zwarg Collective, Rio Bonito (2022) – Nascimento has maintained a steady output of solid-to-good efforts since his terrific solo debut, but mostly he’s just reworked his ideas rather than push forward. Here he does the latter. Working with longtime Hermeto Pascoal collaborator Itiberê Zwarg, Nascimento’s guitar still holds the center, but it’s surrounded by sounds that do more than provide background. The string arrangements (Rogério Duprat with a dash of Bernard Hermann), in particular, add depth and color not on his earlier albums. Only two of the ten tracks go past three minutes (and they are the weakest tracks), so you get stunning miniatures where Nascimento and the band explore an idea or melody and then move on. Grade: B+

Fabiano do Nascimento, Adam Ratner and Itiberê Zwarg, Theme in C (2022) – Four tracks collectively barely surpassing the four-minute mark that extend the exploration of that C theme from it’s shorter version on Rio Bonito. Brazilian classical guitar as chamber music. And it’s absolutely gorgeous. Each track ends way too early (or leaves you wanting so much more you think it ends early). Grade: B

Fabiano do Nascimento with Vittor Santos e Orquestra, Lendas (2023) – Less daring than hiz Zwarg collaboration, Nascimento still achieves something here that he’s struggled with: creating music that’s quiet and calm without tipping toward boring. Santos’ arrangements tend toward conventionally lush, but they mesh well with the guitar. Nascimento downplays his chops here as he focuses more on the whole. If his guitar often excites with his displays of technical mastery, here he shows how he can use his broader musical skills to slow down and still impress. Grade: B

Fabiano do Nascimento, Das Nuvens (2023) – Tending quiet and precise, Nascimento’s music always risks falling into some new agey, smooth jazzy pit, but his chops and smarts usually help him avoid that fate. The first four tracks here wobble, but he doesn’t quite fall. Then bland out. It’s minor enough initially but within two tracks there’s nothing to hold on to. Just ambient snooze that aims for beauty and achieves boredom. A couple of later tracks threaten to rouse the listener, and the close is fine enough, but the damage is done. I’m not going to figure out if this is his worst album, but it could well be. Listen here. Grade: C

Fabiano do Nascimento, Mundo Solo (2023) – On his third album of the year, Nascimento doesn’t forsake the awful new age of Das Nuvens, but he does figure out how to do it better. The difference is slight, but this one helps me concentrate, whereas the previous just bored. His fastidiousness works to his advantage here. Each track is full of details—smartly rendered, of  course—that give something for your brain to latch onto so that the calming sonics don’t just put you to sleep. Listen here. Grade: B-