Manuel de Oliveira
- Composer
Manuel de Oliveira is a guitarist, composer, and producer from Guimarães, Portugal. His music consistently explores themes such as borders, territory, community, and identity. From his debut album Ibéria to the more recent Entre-Lugar, Oliveira's work reflects a continuous search for a sense of place and self-always evolving, never static.
Largely self-taught, he learned guitar from his father, Aprígio Oliveira, and was influenced by diverse musical traditions, including flamenco, South American music, and fado. This broad foundation helped shape a unique musical identity and a distinguished international career.
He has performed at major festivals including Emociona Jazz (Spain) and Couleurs Jazz (France), alongside artists such as Brad Mehldau, Chick Corea, Mike Stern, and Richard Galliano. Notable works include the international release of Amarte and the sold-out Ibéria Live concerts with Jorge Pardo and Carles Benavent.
In 2012, he produced Os Nossos Afetos, the opening ceremony show for Guimarães - European Capital of Culture, featuring Cristina Branco, Chico César, and Rão Kyao. In 2020, he released Entre-Lugar, a collaborative project with cellist Sandra Martins, accordionist João Frade, fado singer Marco Rodrigues, and percussionist Marito Marques. This project toured across Portugal and was featured at festivals such as Cistermúsica, MIMO Festival, Festival de Música em Leiria, and Sons de Vez. A film-concert and documentary aired on RTP2.
His album Ibéria 2022, released in October 2022 with Jorge Pardo and Carles Benavent, marked the 20th anniversary of his debut and was awarded the Carlos Paredes Prize. The album premiered live with a symphony orchestra conducted by Carlos Garcia at the Guimarães Jazz Festival, with further national and international performances scheduled through 2024.
In 2023, Oliveira premiered his new solo project Looping Solo at the MIMO Festival in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Itabira. The "Tour 20" series celebrated 20 years of his career with performances in over 30 venues.
In January 2024, he debuted Lá no Xepangara - A cultura africana em José Afonso, a tribute project featuring Edu Mundo (Portugal), Fred Martins (Brazil), Karyna Gomes (Guinea-Bissau), and Selma Uamusse (Mozambique). The project is supported by the official 50th anniversary celebrations of the 25th of April Revolution in Portugal. The year also included tours across Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Brazil.
In 2025, he is composing the original soundtrack for the television series Daqui Houve Resistência, directed by Edgar Pêra and produced by Rodrigo Areias, to premiere on RTP in April. The year will also see the release of Ibéria ao Vivo na Casa das Artes de Famalicão, an audiovisual concert and documentary centered on the collaboration between Oliveira, Benavent, and Pardo, paying tribute to Paco de Lucía.
Ibéria: The Last Jam - A Tribute to Paco de Lucía will begin on June 20, 2025, at Casa da Música in Porto and tour multiple Portuguese cities, with special appearances at the MIMO Festival in São Paulo and Olinda, Brazil.
Largely self-taught, he learned guitar from his father, Aprígio Oliveira, and was influenced by diverse musical traditions, including flamenco, South American music, and fado. This broad foundation helped shape a unique musical identity and a distinguished international career.
He has performed at major festivals including Emociona Jazz (Spain) and Couleurs Jazz (France), alongside artists such as Brad Mehldau, Chick Corea, Mike Stern, and Richard Galliano. Notable works include the international release of Amarte and the sold-out Ibéria Live concerts with Jorge Pardo and Carles Benavent.
In 2012, he produced Os Nossos Afetos, the opening ceremony show for Guimarães - European Capital of Culture, featuring Cristina Branco, Chico César, and Rão Kyao. In 2020, he released Entre-Lugar, a collaborative project with cellist Sandra Martins, accordionist João Frade, fado singer Marco Rodrigues, and percussionist Marito Marques. This project toured across Portugal and was featured at festivals such as Cistermúsica, MIMO Festival, Festival de Música em Leiria, and Sons de Vez. A film-concert and documentary aired on RTP2.
His album Ibéria 2022, released in October 2022 with Jorge Pardo and Carles Benavent, marked the 20th anniversary of his debut and was awarded the Carlos Paredes Prize. The album premiered live with a symphony orchestra conducted by Carlos Garcia at the Guimarães Jazz Festival, with further national and international performances scheduled through 2024.
In 2023, Oliveira premiered his new solo project Looping Solo at the MIMO Festival in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Itabira. The "Tour 20" series celebrated 20 years of his career with performances in over 30 venues.
In January 2024, he debuted Lá no Xepangara - A cultura africana em José Afonso, a tribute project featuring Edu Mundo (Portugal), Fred Martins (Brazil), Karyna Gomes (Guinea-Bissau), and Selma Uamusse (Mozambique). The project is supported by the official 50th anniversary celebrations of the 25th of April Revolution in Portugal. The year also included tours across Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Brazil.
In 2025, he is composing the original soundtrack for the television series Daqui Houve Resistência, directed by Edgar Pêra and produced by Rodrigo Areias, to premiere on RTP in April. The year will also see the release of Ibéria ao Vivo na Casa das Artes de Famalicão, an audiovisual concert and documentary centered on the collaboration between Oliveira, Benavent, and Pardo, paying tribute to Paco de Lucía.
Ibéria: The Last Jam - A Tribute to Paco de Lucía will begin on June 20, 2025, at Casa da Música in Porto and tour multiple Portuguese cities, with special appearances at the MIMO Festival in São Paulo and Olinda, Brazil.
