Life and Work

The composer and guitarist Francisco Mário was born on August 22, 1948, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Son of Henrique José de Souza and Maria da Conceição, aka Dona Maria, who became known through Henfil’s letters in “Pasquim” and “Isto É” magazines. He had seven siblings: Betinho, Henfil, Glorinha, Filó, Wanda, Tanda, and Ziláh.

Chico Mário, as he was affectionately known, studied guitar, economics, and post-graduated in systems engineering at COPPE. He was also a journalist writing for “Estado de São Paulo” newspaper and a music critic for the magazine “Realidade”. Since he was five years old, Chico showed an interest in music, playing the bongô, atabaque, and guitar, with the encouragement of his brother Betinho, who would get together with his mates to listen to Bach, Tchaikowski, and Chopin. His hemophilia also contributed to his musical formation, since the illness forced him to lie down for hours and hours, giving him time to play his guitar. It was Uncle Geraldo (from Bocaiúva, in the north of Minas Gerais) who taught Chico Mário to play the Brazilian guitar. One day Bernard, a fantastic guitarist, agreed to teach Chico Mário, but he died the day he was to give the first lesson, leaving a challenge in the air for the young guitarist.

In 1965 he participated in Belo Horizonte in the JEC (Catholic Student Youth) as a member of the regional direction. In these youth meetings, the “Chiquinho’s guitar” was part of the meditation hours and, many times, of the Gregorian masses of the Dominican friars. In 1966, already in São Paulo, Chico Mário joined the secondary student movement (União Brasileira dos Estudantes). A time of graffiti on the walls of Rua da Consolação, a time of running from the bullets of repression until reaching Rua Maria Antonia, taking shelter in USP by jumping over walls. Then, supporting the striking workers in the ABC area (an important industrial region in the state of São Paulo). He said he even forgot he was a hemophiliac in the struggle to change the country.

In 1967, at the age of 19 and already married, still in São Paulo, he taught music to survive and at the same time studied Economics and Systems Analysis. He studied guitar with professor Henrique Pinto and created the color music method for children, applying dramatic techniques and Brazilian folklore to music teaching. The colors method was used in several schools in São Paulo and also used in courses for music teachers. He wrote several stories for “Recreio” magazine, such as “Tonho, o elefante”, “O gigante da lagoa preta”, “O leão fominha”, and “A pulga do realejo”, among others. He was a consultant for the College of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo (USP), working with professor Oswaldo Sangiorgi. He took a group dynamics course with professor Lauro de Oliveira Lima, adapting it to his guitar course.

In 1978 he went to live in Rio de Janeiro, where the possibilities for a career as a musician were much better at that time. It didn’t take long for him to fit into the music movement in Rio, drawing attention to his talent. At the same time, he studied arrangements and music theory with professor Roberto Gnattali, who was responsible for the arrangements for Chico Mário’s first show, “Ouro Preto,” held at Laje Park and at UFRJ, together with musicians such as Marcos Ariel (flute), Henrique Drach (cello), Alberto Gabeira (bass), Maria Antônia (flute), and Marcos Dantas (percussion). Dedicated, courageous, and idealistic, in 1979 he recorded his first album, “Terra”, a record that contains the soul of Minas Gerais, talking about its mountains and history, also released in Mexico and praised by Carlos Drummond de Andrade. With cover art made by Noguchi, the album has the participation of Joyce, Quarteto em Cy, Antonio Adolfo, Airton Barbosa, and Chiquinho do Acordeon, among others. In May of that year, as vice-president of APID (Association of Independent Record Producers), he participated in the meeting of alternative cultural production of independent records in Curitiba (Parana, Brazil), where he found out that, although he was part of the first batch of independent Brazilian producers, they were still a minority, since Brazilian country music records were five times more numerous than Brazilian Popular Music (MPB) records. The exhibition of the records of Antonio Adolfo, Danilo Caymmi, Luli e Lucinda, and Francisco Mário, pioneers of Brazilian independent records, were resistance symbols for musicians, composers, and interpreters who could not enter the market. In July, he took part in the “Ouro Preto Winter Festival” in its 12th edition.

In 1980, Francisco Mário goes into the studio to record the album “Revolta dos Palhaços”,with the help of 200 people who bought the album before it was ready (a crowdfunding). Chico said: “With this record, I denounce the illusion set up to see our underdeveloped reality as a Third World country that could even shock people who were dreaming and didn’t want to wake up, preferring to believe in the false reality recreated every day. In the booklet, there was a big circus tent, designed by cartoonist Nani, on which the co-producers signed, supporting the independent recording. Chico had as partners in the album artists such as Aldir Blanc and Paulo Emílio, Fernando Rios, journalist Tárik de Souza, actor Guarnieri, and special participations by Ivan Lins, MPB4, Lucinha Lins, Boca Livre, Mauro Senise, Luiz Claudio Ramos, Danilo Caymmi, and Djalma Correa, among others. The cover art was made by his brother, the cartoonist Henfil

In 1981, he was invited to participate in the 5th Festival de Oposición in Mexico. For the first time, Chico left Brazil and went to show his music to the world, resulting in the release of his first record, “Terra,” in Mexico by the Fóton label. Then he spent two weeks in Miami, for free, because when the owner of the hotel found out he had Brazilian musicians there, he made them play until six in the morning, not accepting their payment for their stay. In the Festival, which had the participation of musicians from all over the world and an audience of 15 thousand people, Francisco Mário, Djalma Correa, and Henrique Drach were applauded with clapping and footsteps, having to return to the stage seven times for an encore. In the same year, he recorded, with Francisco Julião, who had just arrived from exile, the album “Versos e Viola”, which was forbidden by government censorship. Impressed by the Mexican receptiveness to his Chorinhos and Baiões, which he played in the encore of the concert in Mexico, Chico arrived in Brazil decided to record his first instrumental CD, “Conversa de Cordas, Couros, Palhetas e Metais“which was elected one of the best instrumental music records of 1983, receiving the “Chiquinha Gonzaga” trophy. Along with the album, Chico also released a book of poems, “Painel Brasileiro”. With cover art by Elifas Andreato, photos by Fernando Carvalho, and the participation of celebrities such as Rafael Rabello, Nivaldo Ornelas, Zeca Assumpção, Antonio Adolfo, and Afonso Machado, Chico once again was fighting to impose himself in the market and open new ways for instrumental music in its place of origin, since the international acceptance was proven during his concert in Mexico. That same year, he began studying music theory with Professor Adamo, recommended by the master Ian Guest.

In 1984, he won the 1st prize at the Ouro Preto Festivalwith the unreleased song “São Paulo”, and in 1986, with the same song, won the award for best arrangement at the Festival dos Festivais, in Minas gerais Seeking a partnership with the magazine Cadernos do Terceiro Mundo, Chico and Nívia, his wife, began a project of independent production of the best Brazilian musicians. The first and only one was Radamés Gnattalli’s solo piano record, “Retratos”. Facing all sorts of obstacles, he kept producing and released another instrumental album in 1985, “Pijama de Seda”, the title of one of the songs, dedicated to Pixinguinha. Another song on the album, “Ressurreição“, considered one of the most beautiful tracks on it, was made in honor of his brother Henfil, with eight guitars played by Chico. All the music, arrangements, pan flute, and even overlapping guitars were made by Francisco Mário. With cover art by Noguchi, the album was released at Sala Cecília Meireles on September 30, 1985. In 1986, he released the album “Retratos”, searching in Brazilian sources for the essence of his music, mixing different rhythms. In the album, he pays homage from João Gilberto to the Pankararés Indians. On side A, the bucolic and fatalistic north is present, and on side B, the south of progress and rascality. From the urban to the rural, giving a general overview of Brazilian music, with touches of good neighborliness, as in the song “Cuba,” dedicated to Silvio Rodrigues and Pablo Milanês, the CD has a beautiful cover and painting by Lobianco. Dorival Caymmi, Luiz Gonzaga, Waldir Azevedo, Baden Powell were quoted in this work. In November of the same year, Chico Mário did his last show, presenting his new songs in “Suite Brasil”, a concert at the Catacumba club, promoted by Rioarte, which was a great success. The following month, with pneumonia, he had the news that he had contracted the AIDS virus, contaminated by a blood transfusion. After he left the hospital, in early 1987, he went to Fazenda da Serra, in Itatiaia (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), with his family, and composed his last three works:“Dança do Mar”, “Suíte Brasil” e “Tempo.” In October 1987, he enters the Sonoviso studio and turns his last works into records. “Dança do Mar,” a seven movements album that reflects the changes in nature and its seasons. An erudite album with every movement connected to the sea: Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, Calm, Dawn, and Storm. In each track, two interpretations: the string quartet Bosísio and Chico playing guitar with guests. Suite Brasilis a musical reflection on the History of Brazil. Each movement is a historical milestone, from the European arrival to the direct elections. The unreleased record,Tempo,is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin. The album contains the song “São Paulo“, winner of the Festival de Inverno de Ouro Preto and of best arrangement of the Festival dos Festivais de Minas Gerais.

In December 1987, one of the most beautiful concerts of all time was held in Rio. With the purpose of helping Chico Mário’s treatment, more than thirty artists took the stage at Teatro João Caetano, among them Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque, Gonzaguinha, Dona Ivone Lara, Paulinho da Viola, Emilio Santiago, Joyce, Claudio Nucci, Fagner, Elton Medeiros, Aldir Blanc, and the first public audition of Chico Mário’s son, Marcos Souza.

In February 1988, it was the turn of the artists from Minas Gerais, who participated in a show with the same purpose at the Cabaré Mineiro theater, with Beto Guedes, Paulinho Pedra Azul, Gilvan de Oliveira, Tadeu Franco, and Rubinho do Vale, among others.

Francisco Mário had unreleased material for three records when he died on March 14, 1988. After his death, his wife and producer, Nívia Souza, his daughters Ana and Karina, and his oldest son Marcos Souza, released posthumous albums on vinyl. “Dança do Mar”, released at Sala Cecília Meireles, in 1988, with the participation of Rafael Rabello, Antonio Adolfo, Mauro Senise and Rique Pantoja, David Chew, Galo Preto, and presentation by actor Tony Ramos. And “Suite Brasil” was released in 1991, with a show by Marcos Souza at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil.

In 1995, three CDs by Francisco Mário were released by the Caju Music label: “Conversa de Cordas, Couro, Palhetas e metais”, “Pijama de seda”, and “Retratos”. The CDs were also released by the Fantasy label in the USA. In 1997, “Terra” and “Dança do Mar” were released on CD, along with the exhibition held at the Museum of Image and Sound in Rio de Janeiro and at Crav in Belo Horizonte with support from Belotur. In 1998, the project “Francisco Mário – 50 years” was held, an event that included an exhibition, video, theater, concerts, and poetry reading. In 1999, the CD “Marionetes” was released, produced by Marcos Souza, a tribute in the voice of singer Regina Spósito, collecting the work of the first records “Terra” and “Revolta dos Palhaços”. In the same year, the album “Suite Brasil” was released by the collection Funarte, Itaú Cultural, and Atração.

Chico wrote three books: “Ressurreição”, written while he was hospitalized in Fundão in 1987; “Como fazer um disco independente” (How to make an independent record), telling all the steps to make a homemade record (which was published by Vozes) and the book of poems“Painel Brasileiro”.

Francisco Mário left a lot of music, a lot of fight, a lot of hope, a lot of criticism, three children (Marcos Souza, Ana and Karina), his partner and producer Nívia Souza, and a lot of humor.