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Nuno Marinho

Inspiration, Motivation, Persistance

About Me

Nuno Marinho is a performer, teacher and promotor. ​ Born in Coimbra in 1981, he started playing the guitar at the age of 14. At the age of 18 he also started his studies in a second instrument, the double bass, at Conservatório Municipal de Coimbra.  In 2006 he moved to Lisbon to study at the “Escola de Jazz Luis Villas-Boas, Hot Club De Portugal”.  In 2010 he was invited to perform at “A Festa do Jazz do São Luís”, the most prestigious jazz portugues festival, were he was recognized with the “Best Jazz Instrumentalist” award.  In the same year his Jazz-Funk band has won the 2nd place at the “Cool Jazz Talents Competition” by performing original songs of his own.  Nuno Marinho's studies include a Law Degree at the University Of Coimbra (2004) and a Jazz Degree at ESML-Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa (2013).  He is a recognized pedagog of Guitar, Harmony, Jazz Theory, Improvisation and Ear Training. In 2013 he started paying tribute to the “Pat Metheny Group” music. His investigation efforts on the life and work of the the great Jazz Masters have been published by “Jazz.pt” magazine since March 2014. (Check links bellow) In June 2014 his first album - “DNA” - was released. This was followed by the second album “Letting Go... The World Of Make Believe” in 2015. In the same year he started promoting Gypsy Jazz (Manouche) in Portugal, playing Tribute to “Django Reinhardt”.

“Paulus Schafer Trio” appeared for the first time in Seixal Jazz Festival, where they invited Nuno to play some songs with them.  Nuno is performing at some of the greatest portuguese Jazz Clubs and Festivals like Hot Club de Portugal, Chapitô, Onda Jazz, Braço de Prata, Contrabaixo Bar (Mira), Cantaloupe Bar (Olhão), Centro Cultural Vila Flor (Guimarães), Valado dos Frades Festival, Seixal Jazz Festival, A Capela (Coimbra) and so on.  Nuno is currently specialized in meta-learning, the process of aquiring competences the most effective way possible. This allows he's students to be throughly guided and mentored with enlightening results in both ways of the spectrum: master and disciple.

MILESTONES GUITARRIST Best Jazz Instrumentalist in 2010's “Festa do Jazz do São Luís”. 2nd place award at 2010's “Cascais Cool Jazz Talents” Competition Berklee College of Music (USA) Scholarship - 2010. COMPOSER ”DNA” (2014) ”Letting Go... The World Of Make Believe” (2015) PEDAGOGUE ESML - Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa (2010/13) Hot Club de Portugal (2006/09) Conservatório Municipal de Coimbra (1999/2002) INVESTIGATOR Victorian College of Arts (Australia) : ”How To Maximize Performance” research project. Meditation, Pilates and Yoga (2005/Present) Coimbra University of Law School and Criminal Lawyer (1999/2007) PROMOTOR Djangology - The Manouche Sessions Seixal Jazz Festival (2015) 1st International Jazz Manouche Festival, Portugal.

My Jazz Story

What I love about Jazz is the spontaneity, novelty, and passion put on interpretation. Also, structure is very important to me. A sense of direction, as opposed to random ideas glued together. The music has to tell a story, has to have some drama, some intensity, some unexpected twists of faith. If it’s unpredictable, beautiful, heartfelt and passionate it will definitely catch my ears. I was first exposed to Jazz when I was around 21 year's old and started attending some jam sessions and local concerts in Coimbra. The first jazz record I've listened to was Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue" and the first I bought was "Pat Metheny Trio Live." My advice to new listeners is simple: Follow what you like. If it interests you and if you're passionate about it, follow your heart and ears regardless of external influences and trends. Be true to yourself.