Gilmar Chaves
Gilmar Chaves Cardoso dos Santos is a Bahian trombonist, brass musician, and music researcher based in Salvador. His artistic career brings together extensive experience in popular music, big bands, large orchestras, ska, jazz, and instrumental music, paired with a profound dedication to academic research and the rich brass traditions of Bahian music.
A native of Bahia, Gilmar began his professional journey at a young age, performing as a trombonist within the region’s local forró bands. In 2002, he moved to Salvador to advance his musical education and expand his career. Since then, he has actively participated in live concerts, studio recordings, and both national and international tours.
One of the defining milestones of his career is his deep-rooted connection to the Orkestra Rumpilezz, founded by the late maestro, composer, and arranger Letieres Leite. As a core member of the trombone section, Gilmar participated in one of the most significant movements in contemporary Brazilian instrumental music, built upon the intersection of jazz, concert music, and the African-rooted rhythms of Bahia. His name is prominently featured among Rumpilezz’s trombonists across the orchestra’s major performances and creative projects.
Gilmar is also a member of Skanibais, an ensemble dedicated to Jamaican ska with a deeply rooted Bahian identity. The band brings together elite horn and rhythm sections to reconfigure ska, reggae, MPB, and samba, delivering a distinct signature sound that masterfully blends Jamaican traditions with authentic Brazilian musical elements. Gilmar features prominently on the trombone across various configurations of the group.
His footprint in contemporary instrumental music also includes his work with Sexteto 1 de Cada, a group founded in 2014 by Fernando Rocha and Fernando Miranda. The ensemble builds its repertoire around iconic influences ranging from Letieres Leite and Lazzo Matumbi to Moacir Santos and Vitor Assis Brasil, with Gilmar anchoring the group on the trombone.
In tandem with his onstage career, Gilmar has deepened his reach as an academic and musicologist. At the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), he is currently pursuing his Professional Master’s degree in Music, conducting specialized research on the role of trombones within the Orkestra Rumpilezz under the advisement of Lélio Eduardo Alves. His academic path reinforces a defining trait of his career: a core interest in the exact role of brass sections, complex arrangements, and the diverse heritage shaping Bahian instrumental music.
Within Banda Terráquea, Gilmar holds down the trombone, actively contributing to a musical concept that bridges North American blues, soul, jazz, and Rhythm & Blues with Afro-Brazilian traditions. In 2024, he joined the official lineup for the landmark concert ‘Samba & Blues,’ performed in Salvador alongside the iconic As Ganhadeiras de Itapuã and alongside ensemble members Lon Bové, Gabriel Bové, Ivanzinho Pacapuco, Victor Brasil, Isaías Rabelo, and Luiz Rocha.
His commanding presence infuses Banda Terráquea with the raw power and sophistication of elite brass, establishing an organic bridge between the universe of blues and R&B and the storied big-band horn traditions of Bahian music.
Throughout his acclaimed career, Gilmar has collaborated with prominent artists and foundational projects in Brazilian music. His extensive studio recording credits include sessions for industry heavyweights such as Caetano Veloso, Lenine, Flávio Venturini, Nação Zumbi, and Zeca Pagodinho, among others. He has also been a core member of touring lineups for major icons of the Bahian music scene, including Ivete Sangalo and Bell Marques.”