Carlos Cesar Motta
About the artist
Drummer and percussionist from Rio de Janeiro based in Portugal, Carlos Cesar Motta performs in concerts and records relevant projects in the Brazilian and European music scenes.
He has worked for over 10 years as sideperson musician for singer Maria Bethânia, considered as one of the most important living artists of Brazilian Popular Music. With Maria Bethânia, Carlos Cesar has recorded four live DVDs, and has performed in many cities around the world.
Journey on music
stories and influencies
Carlos Cesar initiated his studies at age of 12 with masters Dámaso Cerruti and Bituca, and later with Marcos Suzano, Ney de Oxóssi, Xande Figueiredo, Celsinho Silva, Oscar Bolão and Edu Ribeiro. Carlos Cesar has an academic degree in Music Education from UNIRIO.
In 2018, he initiated project Carlos Cesar Trio, and in 2023 he released his first solo album, Viramar.
As a researcher, Carlos Cesar develops a method of adapting Brazilian percussion patterns for the drum kit. Carlos Cesar also gives masterclasses in many cities in Brazil and Europe, teaching about the African influences in the genesis of Brazilian and Latin music.
Carreer
remarkable works
Carlos Cesar has performed in relevant venues such as the Carnegie Hall (New York), Salle Pleyel (Paris), SouthBank Centre (London), Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin) and Kennedy Center (Washington DC).
Throughout his career, Carlos Cesar has accompanied artists such as Maria Bethânia, Nana Caymmi, Dori Caymmi, Simone, Zélia Duncan, Elza Soares, Dona Ivone Lara, Elton Medeiros, Monarco, Luca Argel, Zé Renato, Roberta Sá, Nicolas Krassik, Trio Madeira Brasil, among others.
The album Viramar
Latest Release
The album "Viramar" by Carlos Cesar is an instrumental work that reflects his professional journey and talent as an instrumentalist and composer. With nine tracks, Carlos is credited with five, four of them in partnership with Aroaldo Veneu. The album features guest artist Dori Caymmi, who performs "Forever Love and Friends" alongside Carlos and saxophonist Zé Nogueira. "Viramar" showcases unique percussive arrangements conceived by Carlos, blending samba, baião, ijexá, and African rhythms with jazz and Brazilian instrumental music improvisations, highlighting his musical versatility.
Audiovisual record
Watch and listen his work
Collaborations
Carlos Cesar Motta + Fred Martins
In an unprecedented concert, the singer, composer, and guitarist Fred Martins joins forces with drummer and percussionist Carlos Cesar Motta to create, in a duo format, a new musical idea conceived from years of experience on stages around the world. Together, Fred Martins and Carlos Cesar Motta will present a concert where Fred's compositions will blend with the rhythm of Carlos Cesar's percussions.
Prominent among the artists of his generation, Fred Martins offers a repertoire as diverse as it is qualified, evoking the iconic Brazilian composers. With seven albums released, his compositions have also been recorded and performed by Adriana Calcanhoto, Ney Matogrosso, Maria Rita, Zélia Duncan, MPB4, among others.
Fred Martins' songs have been included in soap operas and series broadcasted by Rede Globo. Recently, Fred released the album "Ultramarino," gathering songs composed in the last 12 years, during which he lived between Portugal and Spain.
Masterclass
As a graduate in Music Education, and having developed for many decades a deep research in the adaptaion of Brazilian and African percussions for the drum kit, Carlos Cesar teaches workshops and masterclasses in several subfields related to this thematic. Here you can see two examples of masterclasses taught by Carlos Cesar in places such as Rome, Bologne, Paris, Saint-Étienne, Rio, Porto and Azores.
