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MANNY MOREIRA
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"I was born in the States ten hours after my parents arrived here from
Brazil. I was raised here for the most part, but my Dad worked for the
airlines so we spent many summer vacations in my Mom's hometown of Rio
de Janeiro and in Belém, a port town at the mouth of the Amazon, where
my Dad was from in northern Brazil. As an adult I have been back
countless times. With one foot planted so firmly in each place, EQUATOR
is the perfect name to describe the eclectic scope of my artistic
interests and the wide range of services my company provides." |
Manny Moreira was born in Miami only hours after his parents emigrated
from Brazil. Raised on Long Island throughout his school years. He took
his first music lesson at seven years of age with renowned Brazilian
maestro Sebastiao Tapajoz who taught him how to play "House of The
Rising Sun" with impeccable classical guitar technique. It was the
perfect start for an eclectic career that has taken him on a
far-reaching musical journey both stylistically and geographically.
He began playing in local rock and blues bands at nine years old and by
the age of fourteen he was doing gigs. Rock gigs continued until he
heard a Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker album. At seventeen he began
studying jazz improvisation. Shortly thereafter he was a sought after
guitarist and singer on the local scene. He played in fusion bands,
salsa bands, rhythm & blues bands, big bands and jazz combos. He
also began honing his writing skills by doing arrangements and
transcriptions for other singers and songwriters. At nineteen he
furthered his studies of harmony, melody and improvisation, form and
analysis, counter point, sight singing and ear training, orchestration,
arranging, composition and electronic music. Around this time he was
being hired by recording studios as a session guitarist and arranger as
well as contracting players for sessions because of his deep knowledge
of various styles of music and his ability to find the best musicians
available to play on specific tracks. By now he was a bandleader
performing his own music in clubs, colleges and festivals.
He moved to New York City and continued his studies of jazz with guitar
virtuoso Pat Martino. While continuing a journeyman career playing club
dates and sessions in NYC he always included Brazilian music as his
specialty. He studied guitar with Tiberio Nascimento playing the music
of Jobim, Baden Powell, Villa-Lobos and all the masters of Brazilian
popular music.
In 1990 he broadened his skills by studying orchestral conducting at
the Julliard School of Music. Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky
are just a few of the composers whose scores helped enhance Mr.
Moreira's knowledge of orchestration and composition.
It was at this time he was invited to join a writing team, which
included Luis Bonfa, for an ill-fated Broadway musical about Carmen
Miranda. Though the book never materialized, the musical experience was
extremely fruitful. It was around this time that Manny's career as a
composer, arranger and music producer began to gain momentum.
His vocal studies include three years with Jim Carson and in 1993 he
was chosen by legendary director Joe Layton to perform with Ann-Margret
in her theatrical review. This began his career in the Broadway
theatre. In 1996 he became a member of Actors Equity Association upon
being selected as guitarist and singer for the first National Tour of
"Smokey Joe's Café." While living in London, in 1998 he studied acting
at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
In the mid '90s Mr. Moreira began an association with John Simon.
Working alongside the legendary producer he further honed his skills as
an arranger, conductor and music producer. Some of the artists and
musicians with whom he has performed and/or recorded include; Gerry
Mulligan, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ron Carter, Phil Woods, Eliie Gomez, Gil
Goldstein, Grady Tate, Michel Petruciani, Gilberto Gil, Will Lee,
Eartha Kitt, The Temptations, Helen Reddy, Jane Duboc and Johnny
Ventura.
In 1998 he formed Equator Productions as an umbrella company to cover
all of the musical services he provides. Meanwhile, he continued to
record and perform throughout North America, the Caribbean, Europe and
Asia. Always widening his range of knowledge, he is often called upon
to provide ethnic music such as Latin, Caribbean, African and even
Asian, in addition to all forms of American music. In 2003 he moved his
studio and office to Union Square and since then has: been selected by
the United States Department of State and the John F. Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts for a one month tour of Africa as a Jazz
Ambassador where he played diplomatic posts, national theatres and was
invited to participate in lectures and music clinics at universities;
scored a film selected for the Pan-African Film Festival in Los
Angeles; written arrangements and music directed two new musicals, one
which ran at LaMama and another at the Manhattan New Musical Theatre
Festival; produced and directed a promotional video for the Neward
Public Library; music directed two regional musicals, one for the
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and the other at the New Harmony
Theatre; arranged and conducted many corporate shows such as
MasterCard, Samsung, Nextel, the Republican National Convention, MCI,
Pfizer, etc; his original composition "Christmas in New York" aired
nationally on CBS television Christmas Eve 2003.
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THEATER
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Oct-Nov '05
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Normal (guitars)
The Connelly Theater
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Aug-Oct '05
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Miracle Brothers (guitar)
The Vineyard Theater |
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July-Aug '05
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The Odd Couple (Vinnie)
New Harmony Theater
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Sept '04
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One Way Ticket to Hell (musical supervisor/arranger)
Manhattan New Musical Theater Festival, Theater Row
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June-July '04
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Cowgirls (musical director/arranger)
New Harmony Theater
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April '04 |
Hercules in High Suburbia (conductor/musical director/arranger)
Off Broadway, La MaMa, etc. |
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March '03 |
Always...Patsy Cline (onstage musical director/guitars)
Theatre |
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June-July '02 |
Smokey Joe's Café (musical director/guitars/vocals)
West Virginia Public Theater |
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Jan '01-May '02 |
Ann-Margret in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
National Tour (on stage guitars/vocals) |
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Jan '01 |
Aida (sub/guitars)
Broadway |
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May-July '00 |
Pippin (guitars)
Papermill Playhouse |
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Mar-May '99 |
The Who's Tommy (onstage guitars/contractor)
US Concert Tour |
| Jan-Feb '99 |
Romeo & Juliet (guitars)
Goodspeed at Chester |
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Aug '96-Apr '98 |
Smokey Joe's Café (onstage guitars & vocals)
1st National/Japan Tour |
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Aug-Nov '95 |
Lust (onstage guitars/bass)
Off Broadway |
| Jan-May '95 |
Blood Brothers (sub/guitars)
Broadway |
| Oct' 93-May '95 |
The Who's Tommy on Broadway (sub/guitars) |
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Apr-May '94 |
Love, Janis (onstage conductor/guitars/vocals/contractor)
Denver Center for the Performing Arts |
MUSICAL DIRECTOR/ CONTRACTOR (Live Performances) |
| Ongoing | Musical Director, M.C., Singer, Guitarist, Contractor |
Partial List
Opening Night Party for Danny Devito's "Hoffa"
-Rainbow Room, 12 piece Swing Band
Opening Night Party for Robert Redford's "A River Runs Through It"
-Roseland, 6 piece Country, Rock&Roll
Fund Raiser/Andrew Stein
-Tavern on the Green, NYC, 4 piece Calypso, Reggae, Soka
International High Rollers Reception
-Caesars Atlantic City, 4 piece, American, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian
Awards Night "Latin Businessmen of the Year"
-Waldorf Astoria, 12 piece Swing, Latin, R&B
Awards Night "Sports Legends Honor Mickey Mantle, Floyd Patterson and Johnny Bench."
Opening act for the Temptations.
-Sheraton Center 6 piece jazz and R&B
CONCERTS & CABARET
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Oct '02 |
Steven Lutvak (guitars-vocals) - Joe's Pub NYC |
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Oct-Nov '98 |
Saundra Santiago (guitars) Eighty Eights - Arci's NYC |
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Aug '98 |
Moses Braxton (musical director/guitars) - Ronnie Scott's, London |
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Jan '96-May '98 | Billy Strich (guitar) - Birdland NYC, Cinegrill LA, Bally's Atlantic City & Las Vegas |
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Nov '95-Dec '96 | Helen Reliy (conductor/guitar/vocals) - US Tour |
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Oct '95 |
Eartha Kitt (guitar) - Grandel Theater, St. Louis |
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Aug '92-Jan '94 | Ann-Margret (onstage performer/guitars/vocals) - US National |
RECORDINGS |
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'02 | Toku, Chemistry of Love (conductor/guitarist)
w/Ron Carter, Grady Tate, Phil Woods, Gene Bertoncini, Bucky Pizzarelli, etc. |
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'01 | Ann-Margret in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" cast album (guitars/vocals) |
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'00 | John Simon, Hoagyland (guitar/vocals) |
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'99 | John Simon, Harmony Farm (guitar/vocals) |
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'98 | Steve Sacks, First Dream (vocals) |
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'97 | Billy Stritch, Waters of March (guitar) |
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'96 | Nancy Monroe, Dance My Heart (guitar) w/ Eliie Gomez & Bob Moses |
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'95 | Canadian Bacon, feature film soundtrack (conductor/singer) |
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'94 | Rich Look, Heart of the Beast (arr/guitar)
w/ Will Lee, Gil Goldstien, Harvey Brooks, etc. (co-producer w/ John Simon) |
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'93 | Gerry Mulligan, Paraiso (guitarist/arrangements/contractor) |
JINGLES
As Conductor, Guitarist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Singer
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Trident Geo Cars
Kodak HFC
Club-Med Sharp Electronics
Oil of Olay USAir Reese's Pieces
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TRAINING |
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May '98-Oct '98 | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Acting |
| Sept '91-May '92 | Julliard School of Music, Orchestral Conducting |
| 1989-1990 | Tiberio Nascimento, Classical and Brazilian Guitar |
| 1986-1987 |
Carlinhos de Jesus, Brazilian Dance |
| 1978-1979 |
Pat Martino, Jazz Guitar |
| Ongoing |
Jim Carson, Voice |
HONORS
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May '03-June '03
| Toured with the Latin Jazz Quartet "StingBeans"
throughout Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland,
Rwanda) as part of the Jazz Ambassador program performing concerts and
clinics at National Theaters, Diplomatic Posts and universities. |
| Dec '02 |
Selected by the United States Department of State, Bureau of
Education and Cultural Affairs and the John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts as a Jazz Ambassador. |
Referrals available upon request
Manny Moreira was born in Miami only hours after his parents emigrated
from Brazil. He was given his first music lesson at the age of 7 by
renowned Brazilian guitarist and composer Sebastiao Tapajoz. He has
lived and worked in New York since 1985 and continues to tour
throughout the United States and abroad. He is fluent in Portuguese and
Spanish. |
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