Pedro Machado Abrunhosa, better known as Pedro Abrunhosa is a Portuguese singer and songwriter.
(Sé, Porto, December 20, 1960)
He began his musical studies more seriously in 1976. He finished the Composition Course at the Conservatory of Music in Porto, after which he studied and worked with professors Álvaro Salazar and Jorge Peixinho. He takes the Musical Pedagogy Course with Jos Wuytack. At sixteen he was already teaching at the Porto Music School. Shortly after, he was also teaching in official education, at Escola do Hot Clube, in Lisbon, and at Escola de Música Caiús. He develops the double bass studies. He founded the Porto Jazz School and its Orquestra, which he directs and writes for.
He works in this field across Europe with Joe Hunt, Wallace Rooney, Gerry Nyewood, Steve Brown, Todd Coolman, Billy Hart, Bill Dobbins, Dave Schnitter, Jack Walrath, Boulou Ferré, Elios Ferré, Ramon Cardo, Frankie Rose, Vincent Penasse and Tommy Halferty.
In April 1994, the album “Viagens” was released, recorded together with Bandemónio. The album is a huge success reaching the triple platinum mark. In this album it counts with the special participation of the saxophonist of James Brown, Maceo Parker. He does over two hundred shows in just two years. He also performs in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Macau, France, Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg, Italy and others.
In 1995, he released the Maxi-single “F” and a book that made an unexpected impact.
He composes the song “Se Eu Fosse Um Dia O Teu Olhar” for the soundtrack of the film “Adam and Eve”, which breaks all box office records.
On November 13, 1996 he edited “Tempo”, now with a new lineup of Bandemônio. “Tempo” sells above 180,000 units, surpassing the quadruple platinum mark. For this album he worked in Minneapolis, Memphis and New York with Prince’s band, the New Power Generation, and Tom Tucker, his lead engineer. Carlos do Carmo, Opus Ensemble and Rui Veloso also participate. The album “Tempo – Versões e Reimixes” is released.
He writes, composes and produces the musical “Rapaz de Papel”, commissioned by the Festival dos Cem Dias. He later records all these songs on Diana Basto’s album “Amanhecer”.
He is invited by Caetano Veloso to perform a joint show at Expo 98. He is invited by director Manoel de Oliveira to play the male lead in the film «A Carta», shot in Paris, Italy, New York, Lisbon and London. He plays opposite Chiara Mastroianni. With this film, awarded at the Cannes Film Festival with the Grand Jury Prize, he has the opportunity to make the famous “Ascent of the 24 Steps”.
His songs are recorded and performed in Brazil by artists such as Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Lenine, Zélia Duncan, Elba Ramalho, Zeca Baleiro, Sandra de Sá, Syang, Rio Soul, Edson Cordeiro, among others.
In 1999, he released “Silêncio”, an extremely important turning point for Bandemônio’s career, but which fell short of the sales of the two previous albums: it surpassed 40,000 units, reaching the platinum mark.
In 2002, he released “Momento”, a bestseller and “Airplay” on all national radio stations, reaching double-platinum again, with sales of over 90,000 units. For two years, the song “Momento (Uma Espécie de Céu)” was the most played song in Portugal.
In 2003, he released the triple album, “Palco”, the result of the emblematic live concerts with Prince’s Bandemônio and HornHeads. With the album stage, double platinum, it reached sales of 72,000 units. One disc includes duets with Lenine and Zélia Duncan.
In 2004, Rock in Rio Lisboa ends, a concert integrated in his 2002/2004 tour with more than 120 shows performed.
However, he has given lectures, debates and conferences all over the country, especially in Colleges, Schools, Libraries or the like. He has written for TSF, «Magazine Artes», «Fórum Estudante» and has published works in a variety of publications.
In 2006, he participates in one of the songs from the debut album of the Portuguese band Cindy Kat, this song – “A Entrada”. He also edited the book «Canções», which quickly sells out, containing scores of his most emblematic songs.
On April 3, 2007, he released the single “Quem me leva os Meus Fantas”, the first single from the new album “Luz” released on June 25, 2007. This song was recorded by Maria Bethânia, at the end of 2013, on the disc Love letters.
The first concert by Pedro Abrunhosa and Bandemónio after the release of the album “Luz” takes place at the Paradise Garage space, in Lisbon, on the night of June 26, 2007. It is accompanied live and in the studio by: João André – bass, Cláudio Souto – keys, Edgar Caramelo – saxophone, Pedro Martins – drums and Marco Nunes – guitar
Pedro Abrunhosa announced a new album with an edition date that the musician has been presenting live, now separated from Bandemónio and with his new band, Comité Caviar.
Since April 12, 2010 his album “Longe” is available in the usual places, when his latest website was also launched – http://www.abrunhosa.com/. The album “Longe” was presented at Casa da Música, in Porto, on the 2nd of May 2010, being at that time in the 1st place in the top sales.
On May 23, 2010, he performs, in a duet, alongside the Brazilian diva Ivete Sangalo, during the Golden Globes Gala, promoted by SIC. At the meeting, the two sing a song written by Abrunhosa himself called “Doing What Has Not Yet Been Done”.
He is one of the ambassadors of the Portuguese Phonographic Association in the fight against Internet piracy.
In 2013 he releases a new album. It’s called “Contramão” and the first record to be released, “Voremos em Contramão”, is played a lot on Portuguese radios. The 11 themes choose the song as a way of looking at love, the state of the country or even religious intolerance.
In 2016 he is the author of the new song in support of the National Team for Euro 2016 in France. It is an adaptation of “All I Give You” from the album “Viagens”.
Soundtracks
He writes and performs the soundtracks for the films: «A Carta», by Manoel de Oliveira (incidental music), «Amour en Latin», by Serge Abramovic, «Adão e Eva», by Joaquim Leitão, and “Novo Mundo” based on in images by cartoonist António.
He also composes for the plays “Possessos de Amor”, “A Teia” and “O Aniversário de Infanta” and “150 Anos de Bonfim”.
