Pepeu Gomes is a virtuoso guitarist/mandolinist who had noted participation in the '70s revival of choro in the band
Os Novos Baianos. His solo career has been troubled by the hardships that prevent instrumental musicians in Brazil from developing their discoveries, but his recorded material is enough to make clear his uncanny, creative talent.
Coming from a family of musicians,
Pepeu Gomes had nine brothers, including the drummer/cavaquinista/guitarist/composer
Jorginho Gomes and Carlinhos Gomes. Among his earliest influences figures the pau elétrico -- the seminal Brazilian electric guitar invented by Dodô in 1941, in Salvador, BA.
Gomes formed his first group at 11, the Cats, together with a variable number of brothers. Under the name Os Minos, sponsored by a clothing factory, they recorded a single for Copacabana and played in São Paulo, on the TV shows of
Eduardo Araújo and Ed Carlos. In 1968, he became strongly influenced by
Jimi Hendrix and formed the professional group Os Leifs with brothers Jorginho and Carlinhos and his friend, Lico. In early 1969,
Gilberto Gil, just freed from imprisonment, was preparing a farewell show with
Caetano Veloso, as they were sentenced to exile, when
Gil saw
Pepeu Gomes on TV. Immediately taken by
Gomes' virtuosic interpretation,
Gil invited him, with Os Leifs, to accompany him and
Caetano Veloso on their Barra 69 show.
Os Novos Baianos, who was until then an unknown group formed by
Moraes Moreira, Galvão, Paulinho Boca de Cantor, and
Baby Consuelo (today
Baby do Brasil), saw Os Leifs at Barra 69 and proposed that they play together due to their strong instrumental background. So, Os Leifs joined
Os Novos Baianos in their opening in the Southeast with the show Desembarque Dos Bichos Depois do Dilúvio in 1969, after the presentation of the same show in Salvador, BA, the previous year. This was followed by the first
Os Novos Baianos LP, Ferro Na Boneca.
Gomes then departed from Os Leifs and joined the Enigmas, accompanying them to Rio for a long underground season with
Os Novos Baianos at the Cimento Armado, soon to be the Teatro Tereza Raquel. In 1972, after a stint with
João Gilberto the previous year,
Os Novos Baianos and
Gomes discovered the importance of researching their Brazilian roots, resulting in the recording of the anthological album Acabou Chorare (Som Livre). The solo in "Tinindo Trincando" is a result of that search for a genuine Brazilian guitar solo and the beginning of the elaboration of
Gomes' own personal style. The album, mixing the group's heavily countercultural looks and philosophy with a modern synthesis between rock and the traditional choro, contributed to the revival of the Brazilian genre in the '70s, bringing many youngsters into its ranks. Continuing to work with
Os Novos Baianos,
Gomes led the trio
A Cor do Som, formed initially by his brother, Jorginho, on guitar and friend, Dadi Carvalho, on bass. In 1978,
Gomes recorded his first solo album, Geração do Som, with a peculiar blend of choro, samba, frevo, and rock. The cover of the album presents his invention, the guibando, a two-fretboard instrument that combined an electric guitar and a mandolin. The instrument amazed
John McLaughlin when
Gomes accompanied
Gilberto Gil at the Montreux Festival (Switzerland). ~ Alvaro Neder