Chico Saraiva was born in Rio de Janeiro, but at the age of three, his family moved to another shore.
Having grown up in the southern region of Brazil, in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, he started his musical studies between the popular song and the so called erudite guitar, to which he was luckily introduced by a dedicated teacher.
At 17, feeling the urge to go into the universe of the guitar, Chico takes the preliminary tests to study erudite guitar in Porto Alegre and in Campinas; he opts for the then just-created course of popular music at UNICAMP (State University of Campinas), in São Paulo.
The bachelor course is the gestation period of a repertoire whose language is registered in his debut CD, “Água” (MCD/1999), which together with the formation of group “A Barca”, plays fundamental role in Chico’s career.
The instrumental disk “Água”, in partnership with Eduardo Ribeiro and José Nigro, with whom Chico formed Trio Água, brings the first pieces of music of this composer-guitarist therein starting, just side by side with written pieces by authors whom Chico Saraiva deems to be references. On the other side of the scale is the beginning of the group ”A Barca”, in which Chico is a founding member. Following Mario Andrade’s path, “A Barca” went on incursions inside Brazil in 1999 in order to deepen the contact with the music of Brazilian traditional cultures – markedly linked with orality – and transform these interchanges in truly musical shows. The content mobilized during these trips is still affecting the relation Chico has with music, and the group – together for 25 years – continues performing to this day.
In 2003, Chico gains great notoriety when he wins the 6º Prêmio Visa de MPB – Edição Compositores (the 6th Visa Prize of Brazilian Popular Music – Composers). The prize allowed for the recording of Chico’s second CD “Trégua” (Biscoito Fino/2003), which presents songs performed by renowned Brazilian female singers, permeated by guitar compositions. The CD was deemed to be a “masterpiece” by the European media.
From then on, the composer starts feeding, in varied manners, on the contact between the guitar and the song, and in his third CD, “Saraivada” (Biscoito Fino/2007), the Brazilian-rooted sonorities and rhythmic tones interact with the composer’s modern and inventive melodic and harmonic language. A CD in which the compositor himself has his first experience singing his songs, composed in partnership with poets such as Luiz Tatit and Paulo César Pinheiro.
Chico releases the CD “Sobre Palavras“ in 2009, a project in partnership with singer Verônica Ferriani and lyricist Mauro Aguiar. This work was selected by Projeto Pixinguinha (Funarte).
In 2013 Chico presents the project “Tejo-Tietê”, in partnership with Portuguese singer Susana Travassos, recorded voice and guitar, production of Paulo Bellinati. This work was viable thanks to ProAc/ICMS – São Paulo Secretary of Culture, sponsored by “Lupo”.
Chico Saraiva has been performing his music with masters like Guinga and Francis Hime as well as partners of the new generation of musicians in Brazil and abroad for many years.
In 2013, Saraiva finishes his Master degree study project in music (in the area of “Processes of Musical Creation” ECA/USP) based on interviews with great masters, and entitled “Guitar-Song: dialogues between the solo guitar and the Brazilian popular song”, a project that is a natural consequence of the musical course he has taken. In the thesis defense board: Conductor Gil Jardim (thesis advisor), guitar player Ivan Vilela, and José Miguel Wisnik.
Project “Guitar-Song” brought about a book launched in 2019, a documentary film – “Violão-Canção: uma alma brasileira” – (Guitar-Song: a Brazilian soul) –, produced with the support of Pró Reitoria de Cultura and Extensão – University of São Paulo and broadcast on SescTv and Arte1, and an interactive and constantly updated video-site with materials that break through the academia limits and dialogue with Chico Saraiva’s artistic course.
An artistic course which naturally unfolds in present and upcoming events that are perkily rising:
- in the presentation of the result from his own in-depth readings, in voice and guitar – which can take place either in the manner of “Saraivada” – show that aggregates the band’s sonority – or in the chamber music format.
- in the realization of Guitar-Song workshops in colleges or institutions dedicated to musical education, where Chico Saraiva, guitar in hand, presents and chats with students about the relation between the solo guitar connected with the written tradition and the popular song in Brazil – subject of his master degree research project.
- in the doctorate thesis, which probes into the issue of writing on the threshold of the aural written tradition, departing from his own experience in musical writing – since the personal character is determining in any work – and authorial repertoire. This “Work in Progress” in Compositions and Exercises is available for follow up.
- in activities as producer and guitar-player-arranger (writing arrangements and recording the guitar) for other artists’ work.
- in the sequence of “Duo Saraiva-Murray” – with guitar-player Daniel Murray – guitar duo that recorded the CD “Galope” (Borandá – 2016), instrumental record of guitar compositions by Saraiva, with production of Paulo Bellinati.