Guilherme Franco


Guilherme Franco was a percussionist in the jazz and world fusion music genres.
Franco has performed on the albums of many notable jazz musicians such as McCoy Tyner, Lonnie Liston Smith, Don Pullen and Woody Shaw. Between 1971 and 1976 he was a member of Keith Jarrett's "American Band", and he has also been a member of Paul Winter's Consort.
In 1981 he started a samba school in New York City and a power samba group called "Pe De Boi". As a result, he began playing many gigs in the New York City underground scene of the 1980s with the likes of David Byrne and David Johansen among many others.
He was said to practice music 14 hours a day.
Franco suffered a stroke in March 2015 and was cared for at the Hospital Arnaldo Pezzuti Cavalcanti in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo where he died in November 2016.

Discography

In 1998 he recorded the solo album Capoeira: Legendary Music of Brazil, on the Lyrichord record label, on which album he plays most of the instruments.
He has appeared on at least one album a year in most years since 1972, as shown in the table below.
YearAlbumArtistInstrument
1972The Cry of My PeopleArchie SheppPercussion, Berimbau
1974AtlantisMcCoy TynerPercussion
1974Back HandKeith JarrettPercussion
1974Black LoveCarlos GarnettPercussion
1974Bridge into the New AgeAzar LawrencePercussion
1974The MoontraneWoody ShawPercussion
1974Sama LayucaMcCoy TynerPercussion
1974Treasure IslandKeith JarrettPercussion
1975Death and the FlowerKeith JarrettPercussion
1975New AgendaElvin JonesPercussion
1975Love DanceWoody ShawPercussion
1975MysteriesKeith JarrettPercussion
1975PinnacleBuster WilliamsPercussion
1975ShadesKeith JarrettPercussion
1975Speak to LonelinessTerumasa HinoPercussion
1975Summer SolsticeAzar LawrenceDrums
1976Fly with the WindMcCoy TynerTambourine
1976Ichi-BanLouis Hayes-Junior Cook QuintetPercussion
1976Focal PointMcCoy TynerPercussion, conga, Tabla
1976Reflections of a Golden DreamLonnie Liston SmithPercussion
1977Mysterious Flying OrchestraBob ThielePercussion
1977RenaissanceLonnie Liston SmithPercussion
1978The GreetingMcCoy TynerPercussion, Conga, Berimbau
1978Lenox Avenue BreakdownArthur BlythePercussion
1978Live at Carnegie Hall & Montreaux, SwitzerlandTeresa BrewerPercussion, Latin American Rhythm
1978ThunderingDavid SchnitterPercussion, Conga, Vocals
1979WintersongPaul Winter ConsortFlute, Drums, Snare drum
1980SwishMichael Brecker/Harris Simon GroupPercussion
1981Para Los Amigos!!Gato BarbieriPercussion
1982Missa Gaia/Earth MassPaul WinterPercussion
1985Concert for the EarthPaul Winter Consort with Susan OsbornPercussion
1987BalanceC'est What?!Berimbau, Cuica
1987Oscar!Oscar Castro-NevesPercussion
1988Wolf EyesPaul Winter ConsortPercussion
1990Earth: Voices of a PlanetPaul Winter ConsortDrums, Surdo, Agogo
1990So & So: Mukai Meets GilbertoAstrud Gilberto with S. MukaiPercussion, Berimbau, Shaker
1991Children of IbejiIvo PerelmanPercussion, Drums, Vocals, Electric Berimbau
1991Kele Mou BanaDon PullenPercussion, Timbales, Berimbau, Timba
1991Live from El SalvadorVarious ArtistsDrums
1991WatercolorsLonnie Liston SmithPercussion
1992AnthemsPaul WinterPercussion
1992LunaseaLee Konitz with Peggy SternPercussion
1992Passing ThoughtsTana/ReidPercussion, Conga
1992Sun SunCasiopeaPercussion
1992Children Of IbejiIvo PerelmanPercussion, drums, electric berimbau
1993Be Bop or Be DeadUmar Bin HassanPercussion, Conga, Berimbau
1993Caminhos CruzadosLarry GoldingsTabla, Pandeiro, Agogo, Cuica, Ganza, Tamborim
1993EkstasisNicky SkopelitisPercussion, Conga, Sound Effects, Tambourine, Whistling, Whistle, Berimbau, Cuica, cowbell
1993Ode to LifeDon Pullen & The African-Brazilian ConnePercussion, Berimbau, Timba
1993Still WatersC'est What?!Drums, Berimbau, Cuica
1994Man of the ForestIvo PerelmanConga, Timbales, Bells, Pandeiro, Pandora, Cuica, Zabumba, Timba
1994Dance of the ForestRain Straight AheadPercussion, Conga
1996Big StuffLarry GoldingsPercussion
1996Thank You, John! Our Tribute to John ColtraneArkadia Jazz All-StarsDrums
1996Traveling OnTed CursonPercussion
1997Dark JourneyWoody ShawPercussion
1997Last of the LineWoody ShawPercussion
1998Capoeira: Legendary Music of BrazilGuilherme FrancoConga, Triangle, Vocals, Berimbau, Pandeiro, Surdo, Performer, Agogo, Cuica, Ganza, Quinto, Soprano Berimbau, Tenor Berimbau
1998Power Samba BandPe de BoiPercussion, Arranger, Vocals, Producer
1999Another BlueT.K. BluePercussion
1999ApparitionJohn McKennaPercussion
1999Brazilian WatercolorIvo PerelmanPercussion, Wood Flute
1999Down Here BelowJeffery SmithPercussion, Drums
1999Future JazzHoward MandelPercussion, Timba
1999Three Flutes UpChip SheltonPercussion
2000Givin' Away the Store, Vol. 2Woody ShawPercussion
2000Ichi-BanLouis HayesPercussion
2000IncontournablesMcCoy TynerPercussion
2000New Mo Swing: The Ancient and Modern Moabites, Vol. 1Napoleon Revels-BeyPercussion
2001Easy Living: Jazz BossaVarious ArtistsPercussion
2001Essential Thiago De MelloThiago De MelloPercussion
2001It's About LoveVarious ArtistsPercussion
2003Flying FunkVarious ArtistsPercussion
2003Plant the SeedPlant the SeedPercussion
2004It Doesn't MatterLou WatsonPercussion
2005African Spirits: A Spiritual Jazz Journey Looking BacVarious ArtistsPercussion
2005Hit the Rhodes, JackVarious ArtistsPercussion
2006Fort Yawuh/Death and the FlowerKeith JarrettPercussion
2006House That Trane Built: Story of Impulse RecordsVarious ArtistsPercussion
2006Impulse StoryKeith JarrettPercussion
2006Milestone ProfilesMcCoy TynerPercussion
2006O Nosso AmorMark WeinsteinPercussion