Born in Rio de Janeiro, Celia Vaz began her musical career with the recording of the song LEMBRANÇA of her own authorship, sung by Dóris Monteiro.
In 1972 she won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts (United States) where she took the course of Arranging and Composition, graduating in 1976. While in America, Celia took part in various concerts and recordings in Boston and New York, of which the LP HOTMOSPHERE (of drummer Dom Um Romão) stands out for her work as an arranger and for the song Cisco Two, of her authorship.
Back in Brazil, Celia worked as an arranger for innumerous albums and shows and in 1980 recorded her first solo album, MUTAÇÃO (Polygram), with special guests such as Pat Metheny, Marcos Resende, Ricardo Silveira and others.
In 1987 she became the musical director, arranger and guitarist of the vocal group Quarteto em Cy, with whom she has recorded the following albums:
CHICO EM CY (1991)
BOSSA EM CY (1992, Japan only)
VINICIUS EM CY (1993)
TEMPO E ARTISTA (1994)
BRASIL EM CY (1996)
GIL E CAETANO EM CY (1999)
HORA DA CRIANÇA (2001)
VERDADES E MENTIRAS (2002) CD & DVD
Celia was invited in 1995 to direct a Vocal Arrangement course in the Rotterdam Conservatory, Holland. It was in this same year that another CD release, titled Celia Vaz (Leblon Records), took place. This work received the much prestigious Prêmio Sharp de Música (Sharp Music Award) for that year, besides having special guest Chico Buarque sing Retrato em Branco e Preto (Portrait in Black & White) in a duet with Celia
During this time, she performed many concerts in Brazil, Japan, Europe and USA, as well as recorded the greatly received album BRASILEIRAS (CID) in a duo with singer and guitarist Wanda Sá. On January of 1997 Celia and Wanda went on tour in Tokyo, releasing this album in Japan (Bomba Records) and in the U.S. (Arn Records). She remained in Tokyo until March and along with Quarteto em Cy released the album BOSSA EM CY, also from Bomba Records.
On May 1997 she went to Cuba to perform in three concerts.
During the years of 1997, 1999 and 2001 Celia Vaz participated as an arranger in the recording of 3 albums that gathered the groups Quarteto em Cy and MPB-4.
BATE BOCA (about the works of Tom Jobim in partnership with Chico Buarque)
SOMOS TODOS IGUAIS (about the work of Ivan Lins and Djavan)
VINICIUS, A ARTE DO ENCONTRO (about the works of Vinicius de Moraes)
She embarked on June of 1998 for Japan in another tour, in Tokyo and Kobe and on February 1999 recorded a solo album for the English label Far Out Records, titled EBB AND FLOW.
During that same year Celia also took off with Quarteto em Cy, MPB-4 and Milton Nascimento for a series of shows in Punta del Este (Uruguay), as well as directed the Vocal Arrangement course in the 30th Winter Festival of Campos de Jordão (São Paulo, Brazil).
In/ the year 2000 celia once more went to Japan, participating as a singer, arranger, and guitarist in the recording of the album ILHA VERDE, of Japanese singer Kumi Hara, followed by another participation in Kumi Haras next album BOA NOTÍCIA, in 2001.
Celia has also made arrangements on the albums by the Maogani Guitar Quartet:
MAOGANI (1997)
CORDAS CRUZADAS (2001)
Recording with sambista Delcio Carvalho, Celia Vaz participated in the album A LUA E O CONHAQUE on February of 2001, and on November of that same year worked as musical director, arranger and guitarist on Mauricio Mattars album MEU PRIMEIRO DISCO.
Her works in 2002:
Arrangements for the album TRIBUTO À LUÍS EÇA (Biscoito Fino label)
Arrangements for Billy Blancos most recent album (Biscoito Fino label)
Arrangements for guitarist Gui Tavares album (not yet released)
2003
May: Recorded the work of her most recent group Nós Quatro, formed by herself, Ana Zinger,
Fabíola and Marco Lott, by the label Biscoito Fino.
June 21: Directs a course of Vocal Arrangement at the III A Cappella Forum (Bennett, RJ Brazil).
September/November: Writing and recording of a childrens album for the Learning Factory program at the English school Cultura Inglesa.
Still in 2003, performs along with Wanda Sá and the Tom Jobim Symphonic Orquestra under the regency of Maestro Roberto Sion, at the Latin America Memorial (São Paulo, Brazil).
2004
January: Recording of the commemorative album of Lisa Onos 10 years of career (Japan)
April: Release of the album NÓS QUATRO (Biscoito Fino), with the vocal group Homônimo, created by Celia Vaz herself, and where she works as one of the members of the quartet, besides making all of vocal and instrumental arrangements. With this record, Nós Quatro was nominated for BEST MPB GROUP in the Tim Music Awards of that year. October: Arrangement for singer Martinho da Vila on the tribute album to Rosinha de Valença, titled NAMORANDO A ROSA (Biscoito Fino).
Celias song MONOTONIA (partnership with Hermínio Bello de Carvalho) was recorded by singer Fátima Guedes on February of 2005.
The vocal quartet Nós Quatro was a finalist at the Visa Award that took place on September 25, 2005 (São Paulo, Brazil).
In the recent years, Celia has recorded many tracks for albums released in London (Far Out Records and Soul Jazz Records) as a singer, songwriter, guitarist and arranger. She currently leads the Botafogonisso Band, that plays popular Brazilian music.
In the month of march of 2006, Nós Quatro goes on on a 3 week tour around the south of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Santos and São Paulo).
May 2006: Celia Vaz is invited to direct a Vocal Arrangement course in the Rotterdam Conservatory, Holland.
