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Ulisses Rocha
392 Grinter Hall
P.O. Box 115530
Gainesville, FL 32611-5530
Tel: 352-273-4716
Fax: 352-392-7682
E-mail: urocha@latam.ufl.edu
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Background
Born in Rio de Janeiro on 23 November 1960, Ulisses Rocha began his studies of classical guitar in 1970. In 1977 he became interested in jazz and Brazilian popular music, at which time he entered CLAM (The Free Center for Music Learning), a school of music established by the Zimbo Trio. At CLAM he met André Geraisatti, also a teacher, who invited him to join the D'alma group, a guitar trio that revolutionized the language of the instrument and inspired the formation of the legendary trio: John Maclaughlin–Paco de Lucia–Al di Meola. The D’Alma group performed in a number of international jazz festivals in Paris, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and New York, in addition to Brazil. D'Alma produced three records, two with the participation of Rocha.
In 1985, Rocha recorded "Alguna Coisa a ver com o Silêncio" (Something to do with Silence) under the carioca Visom label, also released in Europe by GRP, the renowned American recording studio. He began a trajectory that now totals 11 CD's, 3 video tapes and a book, in addition to his participation as a guest artist in collections and works performed by other artists.
Rocha has also played with Gal Costa, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Zé Renato, Olivia Byington, Heraldo do Monte, recorded with Hermeto Pascoal, Hugo Fatoruso, Roberto Carlos, Sá and Guarabira, Ritchie, and shared the stage with Egberto Gismonti, Al Di Meola, Eliane Elias, Canhoto da Paraíba, Marco Pereira, Paulo Belinatti and the group "Boca Livre."
As a soloist, Rocha has performed in international festivals in the United States, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Russia, Cuba, Syria, Kuwait, and France. In addition to his work as a concert performer and teacher, he also has performed with several Brazilian symphonic orchestras.
Since 1990, Ulisses Rocha has been a professor at the Unicamp Faculty of Music.
For more information: www.ulissesrocha.com