Bio

Throughout his career, World Class Guitarist DAVID AMARO has been one of the most skilled and versatile players on the music scene. Whether featured in Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Brazilian Pop or Afro Cuban settings, he is equally talented as a soloist and as an accompanist on a variety of guitars.

A native Californian, David began playing guitar at the age of 9. As a teen, he played with rock and jazz bands for school functions and regularly at Disneyland. He studied with master of the 7-string guitar and veteran of the 1930’s, George Van Eps. At 21, he officially began his professional touring career with Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers and International singing star Andy Williams.

The turning point in David’s musical life took place in 1973 when he joined Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira of Miles Davis and Weather Report fame. Airto was forming a group for his new album “Fingers” produced by Creed Taylor and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. Playing a major role in the percussionist’s group led to David becoming greatly in demand.

One of Amaro’s most impressive recordings is the title cut of Hermeto Pascoal’s “Slaves Mass”. He at times sounds like a flamenco guitarist. His acoustic guitar work, particularly during the solo section, shows off both virtuosity and taste. David displays the ability to sound very much like a complete orchestra all by himself, a mark of a masterful guitarist.

After working with David at the Montreux Jazz Festival, legendary Brazilian Singer and Composer Milton Nascimento specifically requested that Wayne Shorter feature David on Shorter’s highly acclaimed debut album “Native Dancer”. During “Tarde” as part of a rhythm section that includes Herbie Hancock on Fender Rhodes, Amaro’s guitar creates atmosphere both during Nascimento’s vocal and during the instrumental sections. Few guitarists could have become a part of this wide-ranging music so naturally. David plays as if he were born in Brazil.

He has toured the world many times over and worked with such notables as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Wayne Shorter, Hermeto Pascoal, Chuck Rainey, Milton Nascimento, Sérgio Mendes, Flora Purim, Joe Henderson, Stanley Clarke, Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter, Eumir Deodato, Cal Tjader, Egberto Gismonti, Dori Caymmi, Dave Grusin, Alphonso Johnson, Quincy Jones, Michel LeGrand and many others.

David, who was the first guitarist to blend Jazz, Rock and Brazilian music in his sound and style, plays a variety of acoustic, electric, twelve-string and cavaquinho guitars and has been documented on many recordings throughout the years.

Scott Yanow, Jazz Historian