ENGELS ESPÍRITOS

 Out of the blue, at the age of seven, young Engels Espíritos fell in with a book for children that had in the story a monkey that played the harmonica to cheer up its friends at the forest. From this work was born the passion of the musician for the harmonica. “The book had with it a colored little disk with songs with small harmonica solos”, he recalls.

After this ludic experience, starting to study the harmonica was a natural path in the life of the musician, who, at the age of 16 gave his first steps, solos and riffs, becoming a professional in 1991. One of the idealizers of the Porão do Rock festival [Rock Garage festival], Engels Espíritos, originally from the city of Brasília, is one of those who never stop improving.

Currently the harmonica player is a professor, organizes important festivals in the city of Brasília, is a music producer and has in his resumé a wide collection of international festivals, in countries such as the United States, Germany, Canada, and even countries in the Scandinavia, to which he took a music mix with the main Brazilian rhythms.

Engels reveals an infinitude of influences in the harmonicas, such as Carlos Del Junco, Sugar Blue, Jason Ricci, among many others. However, it is in other instruments, such as the acoustic guitar, that the musician seeks for inspiration to compose. “There are several guitar players that I study at the harmonica, such as Jimmy Hendrix, Pepeu Gomes, Zakk Wylde, Eddie Van Halen”.

The harmonica player seeks for elements even at the accordion, highlight given to the works of Luiz Gonzaga, Dominguinhos and Piazolla. Nowadays, Engels Espíritos has two CDs released, A Invasão das Gaitas [The Harmonicas’ Invasion] (originally named “Harps Invasion”), of African-American, blues, folk, country and progressive rock music, and As Faces da Gaita [The Harmonica Faces] which, according to the musician, “shows that the harmonica may be played at any music style, at any African-American and Brazilian music gender”.

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