Cheiro De Vida (Brasil)

Cheiro De Vida was formed by ANDRÉ GOMES (bass guitar), CARLOS MARTAU (guitars) and ALEXANDRE FONSECA (drums) in 1980 and were initially based in the Rio Grande do Sul, (in the southern part of Brazil). [Prior to this, the trio had been a jam band but with the addition of PAULO SEPEKOVIA (also on guitar), the newly formed CHEIRO DE VIDA moved in jazz rock fusion]. Moving to São Paulo in 1981, they recorded an album as the backing band for Brazilian singer DIANA PEQUENO, subsequently becoming her touring band travelling all over the country.

At the end of 1982, the band returned to their hometown, Porto Alegre, and recorded a second album again as the support band for the singer BEBETO ALVES, for the live "Notícia Urgente". AT this time they also became the support band for singer VICTOR RAMIL whilst being able to maintain their own solo band activities. In 1983 they began to record their first album "Cheiro de Vida", which would see release a year later. To finance the recording costs, 850 special editions were presold to friends and fans. Then as luck has it, a few weeks before the album was due to be pressed, a small record label ACIT offered to take care of its promotion and distribution, in exchange of releasing it on their imprint. The offer was accepted but unfortunately this turned out to be a bad business decision: whilst not receiving any proper promotion nor royalties, it would take the band 10 years to recover their recording masters.

In 1983, CHEIRO DE VIDA became a five-piece band, with the addition of DUDU TRENTIN (keyboards). Things started happening, with the writing and recording of soundtracks for plays such as "Cem Modos" for a successful theatrical company that toured the country. Following this, CHEIRO DE VIDA decided it was time to move to Rio de Janeiro to take their chances. Four of the band came to live together in the same apartment with their wives and children; DUDU TRENTIN moved on and to Austria, where he recorded a solo album.

By 1987 Cheiro De Vida were effective the house-band in the Rio de Janeiro night club, Jazzmania, which had the reputation for being the coolest place around for instrumental music. So whenever there was a open slot, the band would play their own material; ANDRÉ GOMES also had the opportunity to show off his sitar playing during these sessions. A word-of-mouth reputation spread because of their Jazzmania performances, and so their fan-base developed. As a result some of Brazilian's top musicians visited the club to check them out, such as PEPEU GOMES, RICARDO SILVERIA, NICO ASSUMPCÃO, and like others became friends with the band. During this period CHEIRO DE VIDA included some songs in their repertoire, with ANDRÉ GOMES on vocals. Whilst Warner Records showed some small interest in the band at this time, they could only afford to a 6 song demo at the "Nas Nuvens" studios, which alas remains unreleased to this day. Instead, with the need to make money to survive, band members were forced to work with other artists: ANDRÉ GOMES and ALEXANDRE FONSECA recording for PEPEU GOMES and CARLOS MARTAU for MARINA on her "Virgem" album. With PAULO SEPEKOVIA leaving the band to return home, by 1988 Cheiro De Vida was back to their original trio line-up
1988 started with a lot of concerts, first at Rio's Planetário da Gávea, then Ipanema's Theater before moving to Porto Alegre for a couple of gigs at OASP. At this time they recorded a show for the local TV station, with the intention of the soundtrack becoming their second album "1988". However, unable to release the album and with CARLOS MARTAU joining DJAVAN for a world tour, the band took a long break through to 1991. Then with DUDU TRENTIN back in the country and having rejoined the band they quickly started writing and playing with a new approach, which was more jazzy. In 1992 they began playing clubs again, as well as recording what should have been their second studio album, with RICARDO SILVEIR guesting on one track. Continuing their history of misfortunes, this album nearly got completed, (apart from a couple of unrecorded solos), before Cheiro De Vida decided to temporarily take a break - which continues to the present day.
CARLOS MARTAU opened his "Guitar Clinic" and becoming a much in-demand luthier and live sound engineer, as seen in his work with top-line artists such as FRANK GAMBALE, MIKE STERN, CÁSSIA ELLER and most recently MARINA LIMA. ANDRÉ GOMES, after leaving Pepeu Gome's Band, recorded some soundtracks and an album "A Idade dos Homens", with his father, the violin player ZÉ GOMES; he has also worked with pop-rap singer GABRIEL O PENSADOR. Today he produces his wife and singer HANNAH LIMA's recordings. ALEXANDRE FONSECA left PEPEU to play with the pop band KID ABELHA, and can also be found playing with industrial metal band INFIERNO, as well as being on MARCIO ROCHA's "Juno" album. DUDU TRENTIN has just released a solo album "Wherever I Go" (www.guiamarau.com.br/dudu).

Members of Cheiro De Vida will tell you that the band is not finished and there is serious talk about a reunion to take place sometime in the near future. To show there is some commitment to continue, their live album "1988" was after 12 years in the can, was released in September 2000, with the promise of more recordings to come. "1988" (belated) shows the world an excellent jazz rock fusion band, who musically wouldn't be out of place in a top 100 jazz rock collection.