Carlos Paredes was born on February 16th 1925, in Coimbra. He grew up in an environment full of music and at the age of 4, began learning to play the guitar with his father, Artur Paredes, one of the great figures of the Portuguese guitar. In 1934, when he was just 9 years old, he moved with his family to Lisbon, but the Fado of Coimbra and the city’s musical tradition continued to be sources of inspiration throughout his career. From an early age, Carlos Paredes began to study Portuguese guitar self-taught, developing a unique style. Paredes revolutionized the Portuguese guitar by blending tradition with his own innovations, taking it to a level never seen before. By the time he was 14, Carlos Paredes was performing with his father on a weekly national radio program. Despite his remarkable talent and recognition in the music industry, Paredes always preferred a discreet life, having worked for many years in the X-ray archives of Lisbon’s S. José Hospital. Carlos Paredes lived most of his life under the Estado Novo dictatorship and, in 1961, he was detained by the PIDE (political police) for 18 months because of his involvement with the then illegal Portuguese Communist Party. This experience had a profound impact on his life and his music, reflected in his compositions and his outlook on society. Carlos Paredes’ talent crossed borders, and the uniqueness of his style captivated artists from all over the world. In 1990, Paredes released the album Dialogues in collaboration with American jazz bassist Charlie Haden. This collaboration brought Portuguese guitar closer to jazz and raised Paredes’ name even higher internationally. In 1983, the musician performed a concert at the Frankfurt Opera House, an event that demonstrated the musician’s recognition and prestige beyond borders.
Paredes also developed an important connection with cinema and theater, composing several soundtracks for films and plays, including his collaboration with the film “Verdes Anos”, one of the most emblematic compositions of his career. Some of his most famous themes are: “Verdes Anos”, “António”, “Guitarra Portuguesa”, “Movimento Perpétuo” and “Fado de Coimbra”. Each of these pieces shows the depth of his technique and the passion he transmitted through his guitar playing. His work lives on, inspiring new generations of musicians who continue to explore and innovate on the Portuguese guitar, respecting his innovations and contributions.
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