Bio

Since an early age sounds were present in my life, through a vast array of music that I heard even before I could talk. This natural sound resource still didn’t had names or categories but it was already sailing inside my body. Many years later, I found in the Saxophone and the Clarinet the best way to communicate musically. To improve and nurture my curiosity I started studying Jazz Saxophone at the Escola Superior de Música de Lisboa with Desidério Lázaro, Jorge Reis and Paulo Gaspar. Later on, decided to suspend my Bachelor and move to Berlin, Germany. I decided to continue my studies in Dresden at the Hochschule für Music Carl Maria von Weber.

High Life, Afrobeat , Traditional Brasilian Music and Jazz are my musical styles of preference, having created or participated in music groups such as Maurizio Presidente! or Jacaré, performing in renowned venues like Fusion Festival ,Yaam, Club Gretchen or Sisyphos. As a freelance artist I also collaborated with the independent artist Alice Phobe Lou on the occasion of a concert at the Funkhaus Berlin.

Currently playing and touring extensively with an Afro-Soul Band called Jembaa Groove from Berlin, project initiated by the dear Yannick Nolting and Eric Owusu. Since now we have performed in Fusion Festival, Jassmine, XJazz Festival and BBC6 Radio. More is definitely to come!

In the present I focus mainly in developing projects that allow me to expand the sonic and expressive possibilities of myself.

What others said about the music:

“(Not Bad) It is a record without barriers, without preconceptions, where the musicians surrender to discomfort, without fear - a miscellany that blends perfectly. Its originality and diversity is its richness.

Sofia Rajado (Jazz.pt)

“(Gonçalo Mortágua) creates his own language from his own experience and imagination”

Jean-Michel Van Schouwburg (Orynx)

“Phenomenal reed player”

Maciej Lewenstein