Gilberto Gil - Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira - is a Musicien (Guitare), Chanteur and Brazilian Compositeur . He was born with Salvador de Bahia (Brésil) the June 26th 1942.

Graduate in management/administration, it obtains its first employment in the company Gessy Lever (current Unilever) with São Paulo.

But it is the music which makes it famous in the Sixties, within the movement tropicalist.

He is today the Minister for the Culture of Brazil of the government Lula da Silva since January 2003.

He is large officer of the Légion of honor.

Career

Gil begins its career as musician of Bossa nova, but quickly puts himself to compose of the songs centered on the policy and social activism, with his comrade Caetano Veloso. In the Seventies, Gil enriches its music by new elements, inspired by the African music and North-American. Continuing its career, he also writes for other artists like Have Vim Da Bahia for João Gilberto. In 1969, Gil and Veloso, whose importance in Brazil was of a certain form comparable with that of John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the anglophone world, are taxed with subversion and are imprisoned by the Brazilian military regime founded in 1964. It is in prison that Gil starts to be interested in the Eastern religions and becomes Végétarien. Once slackened, Gil and Veloso exile both with London. Gil plays then with the groups Yes, Pink Floyd and Incredible String Band, while continuing its career solo. In the Seventies, it makes a round with the the United States and records an English album. He also works with Jimmy Cliff and leaves in 1980 a Portuguese version No Woman, No Cry (in Portuguese, Não chores but ) the success of Bob Marley & The Wailers, which introduced the Reggae with the Brésil, and there was also success. One of its greater successes is the title Toda menina baiana of 1979.

It continues to record discs and to give concerts, but is also implied in various social causes. To beginning of the year 90, it launches out in policy and becomes city council man with El Salvador, its birthplace. Its album of 1993, Tropicália 2 , with Caetano Veloso comprises a song of Jimi Hendrix, Wait Until Tomorrow , and is regarded as one of its best since end of the year 60.

When the president Lula da Silva is elected in January 2003, it chooses Gilberto Gil to be its Minister for the Culture, in spite of criticisms of many personalities.

Its last album, going back to 2004, was diffused by the American magazine Wired under Creative License Commons.

Policy

• 1989 to 1992 - City council man in El Salvador
• 2003 with today - Minister for the Culture (since January 2nd, 2003), representing the Brazilian green Left.

References