Roney Giah
Brazilian Rock'n World.
That's how the Brazilian composer, singer and guitarist Roney Giah defines his music.
In his second CD Mais dias na Terra (More days on Earth) he stretches the possibilities of arrangements and textures combining guitar with zabumbas (Brazilian percussions), brass ensembles, drive guitars, and body and vocal percussions in an energetic rock vibe that includes polyrhythm grooves.
Drawing Brazilian critics and audience's attention year by year, the Brazilian artist graduated from The Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, in 1994. He has studied with many legendary musicians including Joe Pass, Joe Diorio, Norman Brown, Cat Gray, Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, Frank Gambale and formerly studied with the Brazilian Maestro Cláudio Leal Ferreira and the world renowned Latin jazz group Zimbo Trio at his hometown São Paulo.
Roney Giah's 1998 debut album Semente (Seed), which is largely instrumental, was nominated for Brazil's 1998 Sharp Award.
As a guitarist he was finalist at Brazil's 1998 Visa Instrumental Award and won a second place at the Berklee / Souza Lima Festival in São Paulo, all while still in his 20's.
His CD Mais dias na Terra was pre-selected for 2006 Brazilian TIM Award and 2006 Latin Grammy. In 2007 a contract tour with the Brazilian cell phone company Oi made his track Lembra? one of the most-played tunes on north Brazilian radio stations.
In 2008, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, created by Yoko Ono with judges such as Carlos Santana, Wyclef Jean, John Legend, Fergie, Al Jareau, Bob Weir, and Lamont Dozier gave Honorable Mention in World category for the song Amar com E from Giah's second CD, More days on earth.
Also in 2008, Giah signed a record deal with British Label ASTRANOVA for the release of a CD compilation entitled Yesterday´s tomorrow. Featuring seven tracks from Semente - Seed - (1998), six tracks from Mais dias na Terra - More days on Earth - (2006), and one bonus track exclusively produced for the compilation, ASTRANOVA released podcast shows in 107 countries. The record company's interest started when Roney Giah's compositions Amar Com E and A Chuva were selected for garageband.com's Track of the Day, which is an American site that has Sir George Martin, Beatles former producer, as chairman of their advisory board. The invitation to be part of the label's team came from the executives Scott Hill (CEO) and Alex Catillo (A&R).
In addition to the compilation, Giah's composition Translate the world was featured on the soundtrack of the American production No pain, no gain, a movie exhibited in 250 movie theaters in the United States and worldwide.
In 2009, Roney Giah won Honorable Mention in The Billboard World Song Contest for his composition Time is so still.
Having trained at the Brazilian Institute of Sound and Video, Roney Giah is an accomplished sound engineer and produces all of his albums, taking credit for the compositions, lyrics, arranging, executive production and performing.
With two new albums yet to be released in 2010, and with plans for touring next year in New York, London and Paris, he shows no sign of stopping!
We hope you enjoy his music.