José Manuel Neto

José Manuel Neto was born in Lisbon on October 29, 1972. He started playing Portuguese guitar at the age of 15 and stands out, among the young performers, as one of the most requested instrumentalists in accompanying fadistas, in shows and recordings.

Son of the fado singer Deolinda Maria, José Manuel Neto grew up in an environment conducive to the development of his talent, having as references the greatest names in the fado universe, such as Carvalhinho, José Nunes, Jaime Santos and Fontes Rocha. He learned alongside other guitarists and developed his own style "marked by fluidity, versatility and phrasal simplicity that characterizes the best popular music".

José Manuel Neto learned to play Portuguese guitar as a self-taught person and, in the 1990s, he started his professional career accompanying several artists in the fado houses. It was in this environment that his interpretation gained maturity, which made him remain several years in the casts of spaces as renowned as Viela, Mr. Vinho, Taverna do Embuçado or Faia.

The guitarist is part of this “new generation of Fado instrumentalists with a very broad musical background, capable of allowing them a broader view of the potential of their instruments, both in terms of the soloist repertoire and the accompanying practices.”

The musical domain that characterizes his work is recognized. José Manuel Neto demonstrates it on stage and in record editions with the most diverse artists, but it is, of course, in Fado that his performances are more numerous.

In 1992, José Manuel Neto recorded his first album, the CD "Tears of Lisbon" (Lágrimas de Lisboa), recorded by Huelgas Ensemble and Maestro Paul Van Nevel, with fado singers Beatriz da Conceição and António Rocha, paving the way to record with a high number of fadistas, of which we highlight: Argentina Santos (“Argentina Santos”, 2003), António Zambujo (“O same Fado”, 2002; “Outro Sentido”, 2007), Camané (“Esta coisa da Alma”, 2000; “Pelo Dia Dentro”, 2001; “As always… As Dantes”, 2003, with CD and DVD edition; “Semper de Mim”, 2008); Carlos do Carmo (“Live at Coliseu dos Recreios: 40 years of career”, 2004; “Fado Maestro”, 2008), Ana Moura (“Aconteceu”, 2004) and Pedro Moutinho (“Encontro”, 2006 and “Um Vidro de Sol ”, 2009).

In spite of having started in the accompaniment of fadistas, in the fado houses, his collaboration with these and other artists extended to the presentation on stage, making numerous tours in national and foreign territory, in shows of great names of the fadista universe as Carlos do Carmo, Camané, Ana Moura, Aldina Duarte, Cristina Branco or Mísia.

In 2009 he presented, at Cinema São Jorge, a show entitled “O Som da Saudade”, where he interpreted melodies that he has been composing over the years, a set of themes “based on the roots of portuguese music, where fado and traditional sounds blend, enriched with harmonic complexity that opens the door to improvisation and poetic liberties ”.

In 2004, Casa da Imprensa gave him the “Francisco Carvalhinho Prize”, awarded to the best instrumentalist, during the Great Night of Fado show that year.

The Amália Rodrigues Foundation distinguished him in 2008 with the "Best Instrumentist Award", recognizing him as one of the great exponents of the interpretation of Portuguese Guitar.

He is the first artist published by the label Museu do Fado Discos, launching, in 2016, "Tons de Lisboa".

Source:

AAVV, 2009, “Antena Portuguesa”, show program, Cinema São Jorge;

Nery, Rui Vieira, 2004, “Para uma História do Fado”, Corda Seca / Público.